• 3 cups thinly sliced celery, about 6 stalks
• ¼ cup minced celery leaves, ideally the pale inner ones
• ½ cup loosely packed dried apricots, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salty-Sweet Candied Almonds (recipe follows)

1. In a large salad bowl, combine the celery, celery leaves, apricots, shallots, tossing well. Drizzle in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper and toss again. At this point, the salad can be covered and refrigerated up to 8 hours ahead.
2. When almost ready to serve, add the olive oil, toss well, cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour. Taste and adjust the seasoning; don’t be afraid to season boldly. Sprinkle with the candied almonds and serve cold.

• 1 heaping tablespoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher or flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• ½ cup sliced almonds

The candied almonds store up to a week in an airtight jar. If you live in a humid climate, use soon after making… they’re great on top of ice cream. Packed in a pretty container, these make a swell gift.

1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and cayenne and set it next to the stove. Place a plate or baking sheet next to the stove for cooling the almonds.
2. Heat a small, nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Scatter the almonds in a single layer and toast, shaking the pan and stirring the nuts with a heatproof spatula, until they begin to take on a little color and smell very fragrant, about 4 minutes. Take care not to let them get too dark at this point. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the almonds and let sit for a few seconds before resuming shaking and stirring, then cook until the nuts are nicely browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately transfer the almonds to the plate or baking sheet to cool. Once the nuts are completely cooled, break up any clusters with your fingers.