Earthbound Farm Organic | Recipe Archive

Wild celery has flourished in Asia and the Mediterranean region since ancient times. It was used in China as early as the 5th Century AD, and it’s mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey as selinon, from which its modern name is derived.

Before the 16th Century, celery was used exclusively as a medicinal herb or as a seasoning, because it was quite bitter. Cultivation probably began in Northern Europe in the 1500s, where the practice of banking earth up and around the plants resulted in celery with a milder flavor.

Now celery is ubiquitous, one of the cornerstones of culinary cuisine in most parts of the globe. Generally taken for granted in this country as a year-round household staple, celery is only a bit player in most recipes. Aside from its role as a diet snack or an indispensable staple of the crudité platter, celery rarely stars on its own, despite its slightly sweet yet distinctly savory, herbaceous flavor. Despite its low profile, celery has a juicy, crisp texture and is a key aromatic ingredient in stocks, soups, stews, sauces, and stuffings.

There are two main varieties of stalk celery grown in the United States: green Pascal or Golden. Pascal is the most common and is considered the most flavorful. It has dark green leaves and large ribs in big, full bunches. Celery hearts are the inner, more tender, almost stringless stalks of the Pascal variety; they have a milder flavor. Golden celery is grown under a layer of soil or paper, hidden from sunlight to keep chlorophyll from developing. Its white ribs and yellow leaves are prized in Italian cooking.

Celeriac, or celery root, is a different variety of celery with the same Mediterranean origins. It’s not widely used in the United States, which is a shame, because the gnarled, knobbly root is extremely versatile; its fibrous flesh has the clean, zesty flavor of celery and parsley. Asian markets often sell a variety called Chinese celery, which has thinner, hollow stalks topped with abundant leaves, looking much like a cross between common celery and parsley. Chinese celery is more aromatic than its common cousin and is rarely eaten raw, but is used for cooking in stir-fries, soups and rice dishes.

Often overlooked, celery leaves are one of the prizes tucked inside each bunch. The leaves are tender and very flavorful, and the herbal note they add to dishes differs completely from the taste of the ribs. Use the leaves in salsa verde, salads, sauces, and soups.

Sometimes a recipe calls for “stringing” the celery stalks. Peeling or stringing the tough outer stalks makes a difference in texture and is worth the effort. To remove the strings, make a shallow cut at the end of each stalk; using a paring knife, pull the outer layer of flesh toward the narrow (leaf) end, catching the strings between your thumb and the blade. A vegetable peeler will work as well.

Celery may be one of the ultimate diet foods. Because of its high water content, it has hardly any calories: an 8-inch rib contains just 6 calories. Celery’s fiber and water content help fill you up, and its crunchy, chewy texture helps you feel satisfied.

When choosing celery, look for firm, crisp, compact bunches. Celery leaves should be green and fresh-looking. Avoid celery with brown or split stalks; this means the celery is old or was damaged in transit. Very large bunches with dark green stalks may be bitter or stringy.

Celery can dehydrate rapidly. Leave the ribs attached to the stalk until use. To store, rinse celery in cold water and place in a perforated plastic bag. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, occasionally sprinkling with water to slow moisture loss. If your celery becomes limp, wash and trim the stalks and place them in a bowl of ice water in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.

Celery is the unsung hero of many recipes, contributing nuances of flavor to numerous cooked foods as well as adding a signature crunch and crispiness to tuna, chicken, and egg salads.