Cheese Salad
If there were ever a cookbook written specifically for me, it would be Cuisines of the Alps, written by Kay Shaw Nelson, published in 2005. As per the subtitle – Recipes, Drinks, and Lore from France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia. The foods from these regions make me happy.
From the book over: “Cuisines of the Alps will enhance your knowledge of the region’s cookery, bringing the snow-capped peaks, with their robust, homey dishes into your kitchen.”
Now I know there’s more than cheese in these beautiful Alpine regions, but when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it first. I mean, it’s a cheese salad!
Written by the author: “This is another excellent Swiss salad made with cheese.” Yes, please.
This recipe comes after the Swiss Apple-Cheese Salad recipe, which contains apples, Swiss cheese, celery, and walnuts. I’ll be making that next!
Cheese Salad
3/4 pound Swiss cheese, cut into 1/2” cubes
1/2 cup chopped scallions, with some tops
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon white vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices, for garnish
Gherkin slices, for garnish
In a bowl combine the cheese and scallions.
In another small bowl, mix together the horseradish, vinegar, oil, mustard, and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix the dressing with the cheese mixture.
Refrigerate the salad for two hours to blend the flavors.
To serve, place the salad on lettuce leaves and garnish with the tomato and gherkin slices.
This salad is spectacular. I thought the horseradish might be overpowering but it isn’t.
The one region many people are surprised about are part of the Alps called the Dolomites in Northeast Italy. Here are a few pre-digital photos from our time there.
About the Author: Chef Mimi
What an interesting way to make a salad. The dressing is the key to this salad isn’t it. Looks delicious Mimi.
The dressing worked perfectly, so I think you’re right!
I love this salad, and the other one you mention is next! I enjoy trying dishes from parts of the world I haven’t visited, especially food that speaks to the unique aspects of that area and culture…thanks for sharing Chef!
It’s so delicious and decadent!!!
As a cheese lover who has to watch her cholesterol levels, I would have a hard time passing this one by! A cheese lovers dream, cheese for salad!
Isn’t it?!!! A cheese salad!!!
I love how differently those who live in Alpine regions think of “salad.” I know I would need this, too, if I lived there. And the cheese there is superb — so different from what we get in the grocery stores. Did you order yours online? It looks amazing. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Oh yes, of course I did! I only get cheddar and pasteurized Brie where I live….
I always add cheese to salads so why not make the cheese the star of the salad, especially if you have a wonderful European cheese! This recipe sounds fantastic! Thanks! Barb
I agree Barb! This was such a fun salad!
Gorgeous photos of the Alps. Wow that salad is … very cheesy indeed. Very interesting.
sherry
Yes! It is cheesy!
Love the Dolomites – whenever we had to go from Venice north to Austria – we’d travel via the gorgeous road twixt them and stay a few days – the children loved the lower mountains :) ! Have never had a cheese salad but really enjoyed a couple of the cheeses natural to the area . . .
Oh yes, such good cheeses in those areas with the sweet clover!
The dressing catches my attention, for sure. I love the combination and was happy to see the addition of horseradish. I have never even thought of a cheese salad before, but now I’m wondering why that is true. It looks absolutely delicious!
Well leave it to the Alpenfolk! I will be making this again!
cheese and horseradish – I need to go home right away to try that combination :)
You really do!!!!
Reminds me of something out of ‘Heidi’! I love cheese and this could be embellished maybe with a little chicken slices (for us meat-lovers)? I love the decorative fork in your photo- matches your gherkins!
Oh of course. Anything meat could be added. I do love the purity of the cheese, though!
A cheese salad? Now that’s my kind of greens-free situation
Hahahahahaha! And it’s fabulous!
My husband always says, “there’s no such thing as too much cheese!”
And there you go – proof!!!
I love the Dolomites and would love to go back and visit. I also have a wonderful cookbook from this region, and I made the best bread dumplings a couple of nights ago. Your cheese salad is right up my alley, and I am going to check out the book. Thanks, Mimi!
Sounds wonderful! Yes, it’s so gorgeous there – I hope we can go back as well.
It always surprises me (in a good way) what people call a salad, chunks of cheese? Count me in! We have spent some time in Switzerland, Austria and Germany and each of their salads always had some sort of meat in them! In Spain, it is usually tuna. Go figure. Very rarely there is a salad of just greens.
I know what you mean! I like the seafood salads as well, but a cheese salad? Count me in of course!!!
Such a simple and delicious salad, we sometimes have something similar to this. And I desperately need to get the book “Cuisines of the Alps”!
Yes, you do!
Now here’s a salad I can get behind, lol! Actually I enjoy a simple green salad, too. But being a cheese love this si right up my alley. I can see how a mild (sometimes bland) cheese like Swiss can really benefit from this treatment.
I like green salads, too! This is so not really a salad to me, what what a decadent experience in the name of salads!!!
This sounds like a very tasty combination, however, as much as I love cheese, I doubt I’d be able to have this as a salad. I’d probably serve it with some toothpicks, as a part of an Hors d’Oeuvres buffet. :)
Well Ronit, it’s really good!
The last “anonymous” is me. :)
This is a wonderful idea – I love horse radish but like you I would not have thought to add it to a salad …!
I know! And it worked so well!
Wow – that dressing with horseradish sounds so delicious – love the pairing with cheese – so looking forward to trying this recipe, Mimi!
If you love cheese, then you will definitely love this!
Now this is a fun idea for a cocktail almost dinnertime gathering. Bookmarking this one for later.
They would be cute little appetizers, actually! thanks for the idea!
Wow, this salad almost makes me feel less guilt when indulging on cheese — which I just adore! I have just got to try this recipe . . . thank you Mimi and also for letting us know about this cookbook. You’re right about all of the countries in the Alpine region! The cuisine is just the best!
It sure is. The best cheeses from those regions as well. Thanks, Roz!
I just had to have a copy of this cookbook for more Alpine recipes! Now that is what I call inspirational blog posts, Mimi! I cannot wait to make this salad!!!
And it’s a great cookbook!