WILD ARUGULA, CELERY AND APPLE SALAD WITH ANCHOVY DRESSING

Wild Arugula, Celery and Apple Salad With Anchovy Dressing image

The dressing in this salad is inspired by a much more robust dressing in Jennifer McLagan's wonderful new cookbook, "Bitter." I have reduced the anchovies significantly, not because I don't adore anchovies, but to reduce the sodium levels, which would be too high if an entire can were used. The salad presents a delicious play of bitter, pungent, sweet and salty flavors.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Time 20m

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

3 anchovy fillets
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, green germ removed, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper
4 cups arugula, preferably feathery wild arugula, stemmed
2 cups thinly sliced celery, from the inner stalks of the bunch
2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves
1 tart apple, such as a Pink Lady or Granny Smith, thinly sliced and tossed with 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Steps:

Make dressing. Rinse anchovies briefly and chop. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat in a small skillet and add anchovies and garlic. Stir until garlic is fragrant and just beginning to color and anchovies have broken down into smaller bits. Transfer to a mortar and pestle. Use the pestle to grind mixture into a paste. Add lemon juice or vinegar to the still-hot pan and stir to deglaze bottom of pan, then transfer to mortar and pestle. Add mustard. Work together, then slowly add olive oil, one tablespoon at a time, working each tablespoon into anchovy mixture before adding the next. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper.
In a salad bowl, toss together arugula, celery and celery leaves, and apple slices. Add dressing, toss until coated, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 199, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 9 grams, Fat 18 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 172 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams