Blue Cheese and Apple Salad

This recipe combines

Vinaigrette

A restrained salad with stronger contrasts: bitter greens, sharp apple, salty blue cheese, and a vinaigrette with enough acid to keep the cheese from making everything feel heavy. Granny Smith apples work especially well — their tartness stands up to the blue cheese instead of disappearing under it. The dressing is a Vinaigrette — red wine vinegar, Dijon, and oil whisked into a cold sauce — and since it's most of the recipe, this page includes it so you don't have to jump to another. The vinaigrette also stands on its own.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette (1 batch, about ¼ cup)

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil
• Salt and pepper

For the salad

• 1 large Granny Smith apple
• 6-8 oz / 170-225 g salad greens
• 3-4 oz / 85-115 g blue cheese, crumbled
• ½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)
• Salt and pepper

I like arugula or watercress here for their peppery flavor, and spring mix works too; use any greens that are fresh, dry, and sturdy enough to stand up to the apple and cheese. Gorgonzola crumbles especially nicely, but a crumbly goat cheese works well in place of blue cheese. For the vinaigrette, I like to replace half the vinegar with fresh lemon juice (1½ teaspoons of each) for brightness — cider vinegar pairs well here too, as do balsamic or red wine vinegar.

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Method

Make the vinaigrette

In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, Dijon, a good pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Add the neutral oil while whisking until the dressing comes together — it will not stay emulsified for long, so whisk again before using. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, oil, or vinegar as needed.

Assemble the salad

Wash and dry the greens thoroughly and put them in a large bowl. Quarter and core the apple, then slice it thinly and add it to the greens, along with the blue cheese and nuts, if using.

Dress and serve

Spoon over vinaigrette a little at a time, tossing gently, until the leaves are lightly coated — you may not need all of it. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.