Crisp and crunchy: This salad is the perfect way to kick off apple season and your Labor Day barbecue

Apples are a staple in my fall diet. When I think about apples and how I want to prepare them, I think of warm fall spices, gooey caramel and a juicy pork chop. Apples aren’t at the top of my mind during the summer months, but did you know that the apple season actually starts in August?

The other day, I wandered around Green City Market in Lincoln Park. I typically visit a few of my favorite farms and purchase a variety of the most beautiful produce that week has to offer. During this visit, I came across some apples, and to my surprise, it was the beginning of apple season. I assumed that we were at least a month out from apples showing up, but I was wrong. I found a variety called Pristine summer apples from Mick Klug Farms. I found these apples to be an interesting little treasure, and I had to bring them home to see what I could come up with.

When I brought the apples home, the first thing I did was a little taste test. Visually, this variety is small, light-skinned and firm. They were extremely crunchy, slightly sweet and perfectly tart. The taste and texture fall between a granny smith and a Fuji apple. Standing at my countertop, I didn’t even realize I had devoured an entire apple in record time. I also couldn’t stop thinking about how delicious this apple would be in a salad. I am not talking about shredded kale with apples dancing around the greens. I am thinking of a salad with apples as the main character.

In this late August weather, I always crave something refreshing, light and crunchy to accompany any protein that hits the grill. With the pristine apples on my palate and the idea for an apple salad, I created a crunchy summer apple and veggie salad. I enjoyed this salad on a Wednesday evening, but it would also be the perfect salad to feature at your Labor Day barbecue.

In the salad, I shaved the apples on a mandolin, one of my favorite kitchen tools. I mixed the shaved apples with shaved onion, turnips and radishes. In the coming weeks, you can swap any farm veggies for this salad to accompany the apples. Some veggies that I have seen at the market lately that would be great in this salad are cucumbers, sweet peppers, fennel, carrots and beets.

Once the vegetables are shaved and prepped, I toss them with the rustic vinaigrette, sunflower seeds, blue cheese and some tarragon. The end result reminds me of a gourmet slaw loaded with flavor, texture and surprising flavors.

• Grace Goudie can be found making composed but not complicated recipes on her website gracegoudie.com or @chefgracegoudie on Instagram and TikTok. You can try Chef Grace’s dishes at Scratchboard Kitchen in Arlington Heights.

• • •

Michigan Apple Salad

For the salad

½ cup radish, shaved (I used red radishes)

½ cup apple, shaved (I used pristine apples)

½ cup turnips, peeled and shaved (I used Tokyo turnips)

¼ cup yellow onion, shaved

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds, toasted

2 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled

½ tablespoon tarragon leaves, minced

For the vinaigrette

1 tablespoon olive oil

1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon honey

Salt to taste

Prep the ingredients: Start by crumbling the blue cheese, toasting the sunflower seeds and mincing the tarragon leaves. Then, move onto the vegetables. With a mandolin, shave the onions, radishes and apples. Then peel and shave the turnips.

Pro tip: To keep the white veggies from oxidizing, I shave them directly into ice water that has a squeeze of lemon juice in them. If you do this, drain them from the water and pat dry before assembling the salad.

Mix the vinaigrette: For this salad, we are doing a simple vinaigrette. Simply whisk all of the ingredients together until cohesive.

Put it all together: Mix all of the shaved veggies together. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss. Put half of the sunflower seeds and half of the blue cheese into the salad and mix. Season with salt to your desired flavor.

To plate: Split the salad among 2 to 4 bowls. Top with the other half of the sunflower seeds, blue cheese and tarragon. Enjoy!

Serves 2 to 4

— Grace Goudie