By July Fourth weekend and the farm is at the height of summer. Hot days, warm nights, the garden demanding daily attention and giving back more than I can easily use. I've been grilling every weekend — it's the right cooking method for July, the outside fire while the outside air is warm, the simplicity of meat and heat and the summer evening.
Made a proper potato salad this week — from the first new potatoes of the season, small and waxy, with a vinaigrette rather than mayonnaise because vinaigrette is correct in this heat and this brightness. Fresh herbs, good mustard, a splash of the apple cider vinegar I'd made in October. The kind of salad that requires ingredients this specific and this seasonal to taste the way it should. The new potatoes make all the difference.
The tomatoes are setting hard now. Green fruit on every plant, the garden heavy with potential. The Brandywines are the most loaded I've seen them in years — clusters of four and five, the plants needing staking now to hold the weight. By August there will be more than I know what to do with, which is exactly the abundance I planned for in February when I started the seeds under the grow lights and the year was still theoretical.
Sarah called to say they want to come up in August — two weeks, the same as last year, maybe longer. I said: come whenever. She said: Teddy is already talking about what he wants to cook. I said: I know, he texted me. She said: what did he say? I said: he wants to try a beef wellington. She was quiet for a moment. Then she said: how complicated is that? I said: very. She said: he'll love it.
The new potato salad came together so naturally that week — vinaigrette, fresh herbs, that October cider vinegar — that I found myself thinking about what else could carry the same brightness without competing. With Sarah and Teddy coming in August and the garden already more than I can keep up with, I’ve been leaning into salads that are crisp and a little unexpected, the kind that don’t wilt in the heat and don’t require the stove. This pear, apple, and celery salad has been showing up on the table alongside whatever comes off the grill, and it earns its place every time.
Pear, Apple and Celery Salad
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 ripe but firm pears, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 crisp apples (such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), cored and thinly sliced
- 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal, leaves reserved
- 1/4 cup celery leaves, roughly torn
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 oz shaved Parmesan or sharp aged cheese (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey until combined. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prep the fruit and vegetables. Slice the pears and apples thinly — a mandoline works well if you have one. Toss the sliced fruit immediately in about half the dressing to prevent browning.
- Assemble the salad. Combine the dressed fruit with the sliced celery in a serving bowl. Add the celery leaves and toasted nuts. Drizzle remaining dressing over the top and toss gently to coat.
- Finish and serve. If using, scatter shaved Parmesan over the top. Taste for seasoning and adjust with a pinch of salt or an extra squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately while crisp.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 115mg