Name: Watercress and Apple Salad with Maple-Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: ⅓ cup hazelnuts; ¼ cup hazelnut oil; 2 tablespoons cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; 6 ounces (6 cups) watercress , torn into 1- to 2-inch pieces; 1 Granny Smith apple , cored and cut into matchsticks

Why This Recipe Works

This refreshing salad—inspired by the modern Indigenous cuisine celebrated by chef, author, and activist Sean Sherman—features peppery, crunchy watercress and serves as a perfect foil for richer, more complex dishes. Watercress is a perennial plant that grows on the banks of rivers and streams, and it is also widely available in grocery stores and at farmers' markets. Here we combined it with sweet-tart green apple matchsticks and a simple dressing made from toasted hazelnuts, hazelnut oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and whole-grain mustard.

Before You Begin

We love the mild, nutty flavor of hazelnut oil in this salad, but you can substitute any neutral vegetable oil, such as sunflower or canola. You can substitute table salt for the fine sea salt. You can use hazelnuts with or without skins in this recipe.

Instructions

Toast hazelnuts in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer hazelnuts to blender jar and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Pulse hazelnuts, oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and salt in blender until hazelnuts are coarsely chopped and mixture is creamy, 6 to 8 pulses. Transfer dressing to large bowl. Add watercress and apples and toss gently to combine. Transfer to platter. Serve.