Walnut Salad

A three-ingredient salad that lives or dies by texture, so the assembly order matters more than the proportions.

• English walnutsSimply the common walnut sold today, as distinguished from the native American black walnut, which is far stronger and oilier. Break them by hand rather than chopping fine; the point is a distinct crunch against the celery.
• Toast the nutsShelled walnuts from a bag are often flat-tasting and can be rancid. Warm them in a dry pan, or in a 350F oven for 6 to 8 minutes, and let them cool completely before mixing.
• Dress at the last minuteCelery weeps once salted or dressed, and mayonnaise thinned by celery water slides off the lettuce. Combine celery, nuts and mayonnaise immediately before serving.
• CupfulA standard cup, 8 fluid ounces. Three cups of chopped celery is roughly one large head, trimmed.
• Canned celeryThe suggested substitute has effectively disappeared from shops, and it was soft rather than crisp in any case. Fresh celery is available year-round now; if the stalks are limp, cut them into batons and soak in ice water for half an hour.
• Mayonnaise quantityNone is given. Start with about a third of a cup and add more only until the pieces are coated; the salad should look barely bound, not creamy.
• YieldFour generous servings as a side salad, six if plated as a small first course on single lettuce leaves.