The Maître d’hôtel of New York’s famed Waldorf-Astoria, Oscar Tschirky invented the Waldorf Salad. Oscar’s original 1896 salad had 3 ingredients; apples, mayonnaise and celery. Besides the salad, the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel has a history of celebrity spotting. Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Winston Churchill, FDR are but a few of the names who signed the Waldorf-Astoria guest book. Today, everyone from celebrity chef Rachael Ray to reality star Khloe Kardashian to movie stars like Michael J. Fox have made appearances at the hotel. Wonder if Rachael Ray had the Waldorf Salad for lunch?
My first encounter with the Waldorf Salad was at the home of a moneyed family in Tokyo. I was bowled over by the delicious combo of apples, grapes, walnuts, celery and mayo. (The indoor Japanese garden was pretty impressive, too!) The richly varied and creamy salad is indeed a refection of the luxury associated with the Waldorf-Astoria.
This week’s Sunday Supper theme is all about gearing up for romantic dinners for 2. For Valentine’s or any day, you want to serve the best for your beloved, right? Well, I do believe my Edamame Waldorf Salad fits the bill. Inspired by Adriana’s Best Recipes Endive Apple Salad with Walnuts, I tweaked the recipe and created Edamame Waldorf Salad. Adriana’s recipe uses pears and apples. Brilliant! Chef Adriana also adds dates. Keeping the yummy additions to the traditional Waldorf Salad, I added Japanese edamame soybeans. (You know the yummy green soybeans served at sushi restaurants?) Edamame soybeans pack a punch of protein. Plus the soft soybeans add a nice contrast to the crisp lemon sprinkled fruits. (The dates and dried cranberries also serve as a sweet, chewy foil for the tangier ingredients.) In addition, I created a slightly lower calorie dressing using light mayonnaise and yogurt. My revised Edamame Waldorf Salad remained as rich and luxurious as my first mouthful of Waldorf Salad in Tokyo.
Edamame Waldorf Salad hits the spot for SundaySupper whether you’re sharing Valentine’s Day with a beloved or celebrating you!
P.s. Sometimes waiting for the right Valentine is worth it. I waited until age 46 to marry my Prince Charming.
Luxurious settings accompanied my first bite of Waldorf Salad in Tokyo. Equally luscious and rich, I created a more healthy, less calorie version. My Edamame Waldorf Salad is inspired by the lovely Endive Apple Salad from Adrianna's Best Recipes.
Ingredients:
½ cup light (reduced calorie) mayonnaise
¼ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
4 cups of assorted greens (a spring mix is lovely)
½ cup edamame soybeans
½ large green Anjou pear
½ Fuji apple
juice of 1 lemon
4 dates, minced
¼ ~ ½ cup dried cranberries
handful of seedless purple grapes
handful of pecans
Directions:
Whisk the mayo and yogurt together in a bowl.
Divide 2 cups of spring mix salad into 2 big bowls.
Cut the pear and apple into slices and/or bite-size pieces. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Toss together with the remaining ingredients. Coat the combined yummies with the mayonnaise yogurt mixture.
OR Place a dollop of the mayo yogurt mix on top of the assorted greens. Serve the remaining mayonnaise and yogurt in a small dipping bowl. Arrange the ingredients on a plate so each person can build a DIY Edamame Waldorf Salad.
Candace of Authentically Candace hosts today's Sunday Supper buffet of recipes for a romantic duet!
