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CELERY ROOT AND APPLE SALAD WITH DIJON DRESSING

Memorable Recipes
by Renee Behnke and Cynthia Nims
While we often tend to think that "salad" always includes some type of lettuce, in France they've perfected the art of the salad, going well beyond salad greens. Celery root is one such French favorite, often served with the type of tangy, mustardy dressing that I use here I've added grated crisp apple to the mix, a perfect contrast to the earthy-nutty celery root.
Crisp, sweet FUJI apples are my favorite choice for this recipe, but Gala or Cameo would work well too. Be sure to hold off on peeling and grating the apple until just before serving, to avoid browning. Knobby celery root has a coarse skin that takes extra care in peeling. I trim both ends from the root first, cut it into quarters, and then use a small paring knife to cut away the skin rather than relying on a vegetable peeler.
Makes 6 to 8 Servings

Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 (1½ pounds) medium celery root, peeled
• 2 Fuji apples
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Dijon Dressing
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Stir together the lemon Juice and salt in a small dish and let sit until the salt is dissolved. Coarsely grate the celery root and immediately drizzle the salted lemon juice over, tossing to mix well. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Rinse the celery root under cold water, squeeze in your hands to remove most of the water, and dry well with paper towels.

2. For the dressing, put the mustard in a medium bowl. Slowly add the boil- ing water, whisking gently. Add the oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly, to form a thick, creamy dressing. Whisk in the vinegar with pepper to taste.

3. Place the celery root in a large bowl and fold in the dressing until evenly blended. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

4. Shortly before serving, peel, core, and coarsely grate the apples. Stir them into the salad, arrange on individual plates, and top with a sprinkling of parsley.

Menu Ideas: This tart, crunchy salad makes a great picnic offering to serve with cold Fried Chicken. Or, for a sit-down dinner, serve the salad alongside Roasted Chicken or Ribs.

Do-Ahead Tips: The celery root should be combined with the dressing and refrigerated at least 4 hours (or up to 1 day) before serving The apple should be grated and added to the salad Just before serving.