Snig’s Statler salad

The classic Waldorf salad involves apples, celery, walnuts and mayonnaise. It is famously named after the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, USA and was invented in 1896. Since then, it has evolved to include grapes and celeriac, and has even become a julienne style salad rather than a chopped salad. 

I wanted to change things up a little. Usually only green or white/beige ingredients are included. Hence the addition of Stilton cheese and cooked salad potatoes. To add a little variation of colour, I added the red of the salad radishes. I also switched out the classic apple for pears. My version is designed to be a meal in a bowl, rather than a smaller starter.

This salad is dedicated to the immortal Jim Henson, the creator of the character of Statler, one of the grumpy geezers who sat with Waldorf up in the gods who heckled the Muppet Show in every episode. If you know, you know. 

(Vegetarian, but not vegan).

Snig’s Statler salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 pears, peeled in stripes, cored and cut into small chunks

8 salad potatoes, boiled with skins on, carefully dried, then cut into chunks

6-8 salad radishes cut into small chunks

2 spring onions, cut into small rounds

1 celery stalk, peeled for strings, then finely sliced

80g Stilton cheese cut up into small cubes

A couple of handfuls of salad leaf of your choice

A couple of handfuls of walnuts

Dressing:

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt, pepper

Method

Take two bowls and place a handful of salad leaf in the bottom of each.

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients together, taste and season accordingly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pear, potato, spring onion, celery and Stilton pieces, add the dressing and toss until all the ingredients are well coated.

Serve up in on top of the salad leaf, then top with the walnuts.