Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts, plus more for garnish
- 1 to 2 cloves, garlic, peeled and roughly chopped (use 2 only if you really like garlic!)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, (recommended: Sriracha), optional
- About 1/2 cup hot water
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- Splash good extra-virgin olive oil, for dressing
Salad:
- 1 bag baby spinach
- 1 Fuji apple, cored and sliced
- 1 celeriac bulb, peeled and grated (do this right before serving so it doesn't oxidize and turn brown)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Warm a small skillet over medium heat. Add pistachios, shaking the skillet frequently so that nuts don't burn. Toast until the pistachios turn a little brown. They should smell delicious too. Quickly remove the pan from the heat and transfer the nuts to a bowl; otherwise they'll keep cooking and burn.
Add the pistachios to a blender along with the garlic, half of the lemon juice, the hot sauce, if using, hot water, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and the canola oil. Blend until smooth. If it doesn't form a paste, add more water and more oil and blend until smooth. The consistency should be like a thin hummus; don't worry if you feel like you're adding a lot of oil. Taste and add a little extra-virgin olive oil and more lemon juice if you want more zing, which I recommend. It cuts the oils from the pistachios. Set aside once you're happy with it.
Wash the spinach and dry thoroughly, so the leaves can be coated with the dressing.
Toss the spinach, apple, and celeriac in a large serving bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour 1/2 of the dressing over the salad and toss again. If you prefer more dressing, add it all, which I recommend. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then garnish with pistachios and serve.
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By JennR827
on February 26, 2013
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Good stuff! I think it could handle even a little more Siracha.
By Demeralda
Flushing, MI
on February 22, 2013
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Really interesting and different recipe, I loved it. I chopped the celery root into pretty fine little matchsticks, as it is definitely the most pungent of the ingredients. The dressing is delicious, almost with a hummus like flavor. I think my Fuji could have been a little sweeter, so I will try again soon and hope for the best! I adore Aarti's recipes, thanks!
By hcasio
on January 06, 2013
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delicious and different. Easy, easy dressing can be used on just about anything! I also shredded the apple as per another review, because I usually don't care for a slice of apple in my salads. Our verdict is still out on the celery root. We'll try it on something else to get another taste. Try this dressing! I think another reviewer suggested it over fish would be great, too.
Read all 77 reviews