Celebrating British Celery – 4 recipes to try
British celery adds a delicious and refreshing crunch to a range of dishes, and you really can’t beat eating it fresh when it’s here and in season!
Did you know celery is also a brilliant cooking ingredient? The stalks can be boiled, steamed, braised, baked and cooked in the microwave to make a deliciously refreshing side dish, while the leaves are ideal for seasoning soups and stews. Celery also helps create a wonderful base flavour for soups, casseroles, warm salads and more.
Harvested by hand in the open field using a specially shaped knife British celery is cut, selected and packed in the field on purpose-built mobile packhouses called ‘rigs’. The finished product is then brought back from the field to the farm centre within a target time of 3 hours, after which it is kept in temperature-controlled conditions for maximum freshness until it reaches the supermarket depot about a day later.
Celery is extremely low in calories – 1 stalk contains just 2 calories – and is virtually fat-free, making it a great, guilt-free snack.
British celery season runs from early June until November.
Bloody Mary Salad with Crunchy Celery
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
You’ll need:
200g ciabatta, or other crusty white bread
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
50g Parmesan
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 sticks of celery, thinly sliced
2 tbsp drained capers
1 tsp vodka
1 tsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp Tabasco sauce
½ tsp celery salt
100g fresh & naked mixed salad leaves
Fresh basil leaves, to serve
What to do:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Tear the ciabatta into pieces and toss in a bowl with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, seasoning and Parmesan. Spread out on a baking sheet and cook for 10-15 mins until golden brown.
Mix together the cherry tomatoes, celery and capers in a medium bowl.
In another small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, vodka, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, celery salt and pepper.
Arrange the salad leaves in a serving bowl or platter, top with the cherry tomato mixture and drizzle with the Bloody Mary dressing. Toss together and top with the ciabatta pieces and fresh basil leaves.
Burrata Salad with Grilled Courgette, Celery and Toasted Seeds
Serves: 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
You’ll need:
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small courgette, finely sliced into discs
200g broad beans
2 tbsp mixed seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp honey
Juice of 1 lemon
Small bunch of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 sticks of celery, thinly sliced and leaves reserved
1 ball of burrata (or mozzarella)
What to do:
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a griddle pan on a high heat and griddle the courgette slices until soft and charred.
Cook the broad beans in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain then rinse in cold water. Once cool enough to handle, pod the broad beans.
Put a small frying pan on a medium heat, add the mixed seeds and cumin seeds. Toast for a few minutes until golden and fragrant, then put to one side.
Mix together the honey, lemon juice and mint to a bowl and stir together. Add the 2 remaining tbsp of olive oil whilst stirring and season with salt and pepper. Add the broad beans and celery to the vinaigrette and mix well.
Arrange the courgettes on a large plate. Top with the burrata, broad bean and celery mixture, and the seeds. Finish with the reserved celery leaves and a final crack of black pepper.
Quick Crab Rolls with Crunchy Celery Pieces
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 5 minutes
You’ll need:
150g white crabmeat
150g cooked prawns, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, finely sliced
80g mayonnaise
Juice and zest of 1 lime
Salt and pepper, to taste
100g rocket
4 large brioche rolls, sliced
Sriracha, to serve
What to do:
Put the crabmeat, prawns and celery in a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise, zest and juice of the lime and seasoning and mix well.
Divide the rocket between the sliced rolls. Top with the crab, prawn and celery mixture and drizzle with sriracha.
Buffalo Cauliflower and Celery with Ranch Dip
Serves: 2-4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
You’ll need:
1 tbsp smoked paprika
½ tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
100g plain flour
Salt
300ml buttermilk
1-2 tbsp milk
1 small cauliflower, broken into florets
4 sticks of celery, cut into 6cm pieces
80g hot sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp butter
100g Greek yoghurt
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp chives, chopped
1 tbsp celery leaves, chopped
What to do:
Heat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
Mix together the paprika, cumin, garlic powder, flour and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and whisk in the buttermilk and 1-2 tbsp of milk. The consistency should be slightly thicker than pancake batter.
Tip in the cauliflower and celery pieces and toss to coat. Spread out the cauliflower and celery on the baking tray and cook for 20-25 mins, turning halfway through, until crisp at the edges.
Warm the hot sauce, maple syrup and butter in a small pan set over a low heat, for 2-3 mins. Liberally brush over the cauliflower and celery and put back in the oven for 8-10 mins until crisp and golden.
For the ranch dip, whisk together the yoghurt, mayonnaise, chives, celery leaves and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Serve with the cauliflower and celery.
Recipes courtesy of Love Celery
Melina - Assistant Editor
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