Autumn Salad of Chicory, Apple, Celery, Walnuts & Bread

This Autumn Salad of chicory, apple, celery, walnuts & sourdough contains everything I like to see in a salad for this time of year –  Strong earthy and fruitful flavours with warming chunks of toasted sourdough bread and salty stilton. A sharp apple twang and acidity from the cider vinegar balances the bitter and peppery leaves making a comforting, flavoursome and well-rounded dish.

Here’s what you’ll need

• 1 apple – sliced
• 1 head of chicory
• 1 stick celery – sliced
• Peppery salad leaves – rocket, mustard etc
• 1 thick slice of stale sourdough bread – torn into chunks
• Walnut pieces
• 1tbsp of raisins
• 100g Stilton broken into chunks.

For the dressing

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon clear honey
• 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
• A splash of cider vinegar
• A squeeze of lemon
• Salt & black pepper.

Preheat your oven to 200c. Place the torn bread pieces onto a tray and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes and then add a handful of walnuts to the tray and bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and scatter half the stilton over the warm bread to allow it to melt a little.

Make the dressing – add all the dressing ingredients together in a jar or storage container – anything that can contain liquid with a lid will do. Shake for 10 seconds to form a smooth, glossy dressing. Check the seasoning – adjust as required.

If you want to, you can soak the raisins in boiling water for 10 minutes before serving to allow them to plump up.

Build the salad – arrange the chicory and celery in a bowl. Sprinkle over the raisins and remaining stilton. Now add the sliced apple and salad leaves and finish with the bread and walnuts.

Drizzle over the dressing.

I love salads like this – a mixture of flavours, a contrast of textures. All there. All good.