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AUTUMN PEAR & APPLE WALDORF

Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Cooking
by Beverly Lynn Bennett & Ray Sammartano
This classic American favorite is usually made with apples, celery, and walnuts combined with a mayonnaise dressing, but this lighter version also features pears, raisins, currants, and a spiced pear dressing.
Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Serving size: 1 cup
Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS
• 1 large Bartlett pear or other pear of choice, peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 TB. apple cider vinegar
• 3 TB. fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 2 large Bartlett pears or other pear of choice, cut into 1/2-in. cubes
• 2 large golden delicious apples, cut into 1/2-in. cubes
• 2 large Gala or Fuji apples, cut into 1/2-in. cubes
• 2 TB. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
 

DIRECTIONS
1. For dressing, place diced pear, water, olive oil, vinegar, ginger, cardamom, and salt in a food processor fitted with an S blade or a blender, and process for 1 or 2 minutes or until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the container with a rubber spatula and process for 15 more seconds.

2. In a large bowl, place cubed pears, golden delicious apples, and Gala apples. Drizzle lemon juice over the top, and toss gently to evenly coat to prevent discoloration. Add celery, walnuts, raisins, currants, and parsley, and stir well to combine.

3. Pour dressing over mixture, and stir well until evenly coated. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more to allow the flavors to blend before serving.

Variation: For a classic Waldorf salad, replace the dressing with Tofu Mayonnaise

Soy What? - Waldorf salad is named after the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. It was created for the hotel's private preopening party on March 13, 1893, by maìtre d'hôtel Oscar Michel Tschirky. The recipe was first shared with the public in 1896, and it consisted of just apples, celery, and mayonnaise.