Celery belongs to the parsley and carrot family. It has long, juicy stalks tightly grown around a central heart. The stalks taper into leaves that resemble parsley leaves, only larger. Its color varies from dark to pale green, and usually, the darker the stalks, the stronger their taste. Celery is very crunchy and juicy, with a distinctive, bold taste.
How to Choose Celery:
Always choose celery that is firm, crunchy, and tightly formed around its heart. The leaves must be dark green and fresh.
How to Use Celery:
Celery originated in the sunny Mediterranean and was commonly used by the ancient Greeks and Romans not only for its rich flavor but also as a remedy for various ailments. Strangely enough, today it is not that well-known among Greeks.
Thanks to its strong flavor, celery is used in stalks, soups, and stews to elevate the taste of various dishes. Celery is highly versatile and extremely succulent. That is why it can easily be eaten raw as a healthy snack or used in salads. Most often, it is used as a base for meat and fish stocks, blended into soups, or braised in butter. It is also a great addition to various stir-fries.
Is Celery Good for Your Health?
Celery is truly a powerhouse of nutrients. It is packed with antioxidants, phytonutrients, and vitamin K, doing more for your health than you might think. It contributes to cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, and even helps with weight loss.
Some Tips:
Although celery leaves are often discarded, they are a great ingredient to boost the flavor of various dishes. One thing you should know is that often the outer leaves are tough and hard. Their taste is also stronger and often bitter. This is why those leaves are better to be used in stocks and in a moderate amount, as it can significantly alter the taste of your final dish. The inner leaves, on the other hand, are more tender and subtle in taste. Therefore, we recommend you use these leaves for your salads or as a topping in soups or stews.
Our Celery at LiveLeaves:
At LiveLeaves, we love celery for all the reasons we mentioned above. As we work with demanding clients who use our celery to specifically elevate the flavor of their recipes, we often suggest young celery. While the stalks are thin and not very meaty, their taste is extremely sharp and ideal for meat and fish stocks. Its leaves are super tender and can be used raw in salads and toppings.
Golden Tip to Take Your Salad to the Next Level:
At LiveLeaves, we highly recommend our celery to be one of your standard salad ingredients. It is very tasty and tender, giving a superb twist to your green salad. Our celery leaves round up the taste of your salad elegantly and discreetly - everyone will ask you what it is that makes your salad so delicious!
Need an Idea?
Well, we suggest trying our very simple Swiss chard salad. For this recipe, you will need:
- Green Swiss Chard (finely cut)
- Young celery leaves (a handful or more for larger salad - finely chopped)
- Spring onions (some or as much as you desire)
- Orange (1 or 2 depending on the size of your salad, peeled and cut into cubes or thin slices)
- Olives (optional)
- Whole sesame (optional)
Add all these ingredients to a bowl and make a beautiful dressing with:
- Lemon (half or one if your salad is large)
- Extra virgin olive oil (3 tablespoons)
- Tahini (half a teaspoon)
- Salt and pepper
Mix these ingredients with a whisk and pour over your salad. If you do not like lemon or tahini, you can simply replace this dressing with vinaigrette.