Curtis Stone’s Apple Salad and Beet Dip

Shaved Fall Apple Salad

(Makes 4 servings)

The Marcona almonds used in this salad are Spanish almonds, which come roasted and lightly salted. They add a wonderful rich nutty flavor to this fresh, clean, crisp-tasting apple salad. Marcona almonds are available at specialty markets, but you could substitute regular toasted almonds if you like.

Vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon almond oil
• Sea salt

Salad:

• 2 Granny Smith apples
• ¼ cup matchstick-size strips celery, plus leaves for garnish
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 ounce Manchego cheese
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Marcona almonds

To make vinaigrette: In medium bowl, whisk vinegar and honey to blend. While whisking, slowly add the oils in thin stream to blend completely. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt.

To prepare salad: Using mandolin or vegetable slicer, cut apples into 1/16-inch-thin slices, avoiding and discarding cores. In large bowl, toss apples, celery, and parsley with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Season to taste with salt. Mound salad onto center of 4 plates. Using vegetable peeler, shave cheese into thin strips and sprinkle them over salads. Garnish with almonds and celery leaves and serve.

Make-Ahead: The vinaigrette can be made up to 1 day ahead, covered, and stored at room temperature. Rewhisk the vinaigrette before using.

Per serving

• Calories: 126
• Total Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Sodium: 211 mg
• Carbohydrate: 12 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Diabetic Exchanges: ½ fruit, 1 ½ fat

Roasted Beet Dip

(Makes 3 cups — 6 servings)

Branch out from the dips that you’re used to and go a little beet crazy. Dukkah and homemade flatbreads go perfectly with this luscious, earthy dip. I usually chuck a couple of extra beets onto the baking sheet, then refrigerate them and slice for salads and sandwiches during the week.

• 4 medium red beets (about 1 pound total), trimmed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt (fat-free)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup dukkah (recipe follows)
• 4 pita breads

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In 8-inch square baking dish, toss beets with olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Add ¼-cup water and cover pan tightly with foil. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until beets are tender. Allow beets to cool for 10 minutes. Using paper towels, rub beets to remove their skins (skins will slip right off). Cut enough of beets into about ¼-inch dice to measure 1 cup; reserve trimmings. Set diced beets aside.

Quarter remaining beets and combine in food processor with beet trimmings and garlic and process until finely chopped. Add yogurt, extra-virgin olive oil, and lemon juice and blend to smooth puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and fold in diced beets.

To serve, transfer beet dip to serving bowl and sprinkle some of dukkah evenly over it. Serve flatbreads and remaining dukkah alongside for dipping.

Make-Ahead: The beet dip can be made up to 2 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated.

• Per serving
• Calories: 203
• Total Fat: 16 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Sodium: 223 mg
• Carbohydrate: 9 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 8 g
• Diabetic Exchanges: 1 vegetable, ½ milk, 2 fat, 1 starch/bread

Dukkah

(Makes ¾ cup — 6 servings)

• ¼ cup hazelnuts
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread hazelnuts and almonds on separate small baking pans and toast in oven until fragrant and golden, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes for hazelnuts and 6 minutes for almonds. Rub warm hazelnuts in cloth to remove brown skins. Cool nuts completely.

Heat small heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Add coriander seeds and stir for 3 minutes, or until aromatic and toasted. Transfer to small plate and set aside. Add sesame, cumin, and fennel seeds to pan and stir over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until toasted and aromatic. Transfer to plate and cool.

In food processor, pulse coriander seeds four times to break them up. Add hazelnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds and pulse until coarsely ground; mixture should be texture of coarse breadcrumbs. Do not blend to a paste.

Transfer to bowl and stir in salt, black pepper, and cayenne.

Make-Ahead: Dukkah will keep for up to 1 week stored airtight at room temperature.

Per serving

• Calories: 52
• Total Fat: 4 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g
• Sodium: 78 mg
• Carbohydrate: 3 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fat

Excerpted from Good Food, Good Life by Curtis Stone. Copyright © 2015 by Curtis Stone. Excerpted by permission of Ballantine Books, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Photography by Ray Kachatorian.