Give Celery Top Billing
Nom de plume Francine Wolfe Schwartz
Just one of the gang on a crudités platter, a dieter’s snack or an aromatic in soups and stews – celery is often left sitting in the vegetable bin to wilt playing second fiddle to more glamorous vegetables.
With a light almost licorice flavor, it’s time to give celery a leading role as the crunchy star in salads or sweetened by a light sauté.
Celery should be stored unwashed, lightly wrapped in a clean cotton dish towel or paper towel, sealed in a plastic bag and stored in the coldest area of the refrigerator. For extra crisp celery, store upright in a container filled with about 1-inch of water, tented with a plastic bag.
When ready to use, wash well under cool water. Removing “strings” with a vegetable peeler will reveal celery’s more delicate flavor. Stop! Don’t throw away the leaves. Use in salads or add to your freezer stock bag.
(For more information about preparing stock read March 1, 2011 blog)
Bunch, stalk or rib – a culinary conundrum. These terms are used interchangeably in recipes referring to the entire vegetable or just one piece. If the amount is a cup or two and referred to diced or sliced you can assume it’s the individual piece whether called a rib or stalk.
For more delicious celery recipes visit www.wordenfarm.com/recipescelery.html
Soba Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing
Serves six
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons peeled, chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice or unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
grated zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons Toasted sesame oil (divided)
8 ounces soba (buckwheat) noodles or whole wheat or multi-grain pasta
2 cups mizuna, torn into bite-size pieces (or other tender green)
1 small red bell pepper (seeded and cut into small strips (about 1/2 cup))
3 scallions (finely sliced)
2 cups celery, peeled and sliced on the diagonal (about 4 ribs)
1 large carrot (peeled and grated)
1/2 cup minced daikon radish
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
1/3 cup salted peanuts (or cashews), chopped
Combine orange juice, peanut butter, ginger, lime juice, soy sauce, chili sauce, grated citrus zest, and garlic in a blender and process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the canola oil and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. Set aside.
Cook noodles or pasta according to package directions. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain completely and transfer the noodles to a large bowl. Toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking.
Add the peppers, scallions, celery, carrot, daikon and cilantro to the noodles and toss to combine. Add 3/4 cup of the dressing and toss, taste and add more dressing as desired.
Garnish with chopped nuts and serve immediately.
adapted from Earthbound Farms (ebfarms.com)
Celery, Walnut and Parmesan Salad
Serves four
3 cups thinly sliced celery
3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
freshly ground pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Lightly toss. Serve immediately.
Source: cookinglight.com
Wild Rice and Bulgur Pilaf
8 side servings
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup wild rice
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup bulgur, (see Note)
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onions and garlic; sauté for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in wild rice. Add broth and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
Meanwhile, place bulgur and water in a bowl. Let soak for 30 minutes.
Place raisins in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Stir the soaked bulgur, pecans, raisins and parsley into the cooked wild rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
source: eatingwell.com
