GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Celery

Wayne Boatwright[_3_] · 23-03-2009, 01:24 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible,rec.food.cooking

On Sun 22 Mar 2009 01:25:56p, told us...

In order to plant my kabocha pumpkins a few days ago I had to dig up 3
good sized celery plants and they're in my refrigerator in plastic bags.
For me living alone, that's a lot of celery! Keeps well, but even so I'm
going to need ideas or most of it will go bad. I need good ideas for
recipes including celery. Celery sticks, celery with peanut butter I
know about. Maybe some soups? What do you like? TIA...

Dan

I was looking for a specific celery recipe some years ago, but didn't know
the name. Victor Sack posted this one, which was exactly what I was
looking for. The "Victor" attributed to the recipe is not Victor Sack.
BTW, I don't use the optional tomatoes or hard boiled eggs.

Celery Victor
(Celery Victor was named after Victor Hirtzler, the San Francisco chef
who created it at the St. Francis Hotel.)
To serve 6

3 bunches celery, about 2 inches in diameter
1 1/2 cups chicken stock, fresh or canned
An herb bouquet of 4 sprigs parsley, 1 bay leaf and celery leaves tied
together
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
12 flat anchovy fillets
12 strips pimiento
6 slices tomato (optional)
6 slices hard-cooked eggs (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Remove the outer stalks of the celery, leaving a heart about 1 inch wide
and 6 inches long. Cut each celery heart in half lengthwise. Cut away
all but small leaves and trim the root ends (do not cut too deep; the
celery halves should hold together). Use the cut-away leaves for the
herb bouquet. With a sharp knife, scrape the outer stalks if they seem
coarse.
Arrange the celery halves side by side in a 10- or 12-inch skillet,
preferably enameled or stainless steel, and pour in the stock, using
more stock or water if the celery is not completely covered. Add the
herb bouquet, with as much salt and pepper as suits your taste, and
bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to its lowest point, cover tightly and
simmer the celery for about 15 minutes, or until it shows no resistance
when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. With tongs on a slotted
spoon, transfer the celery halves to a deep platter that will hold them
in a single layer.
With a whisk, beat the vinegar and the oil together and pour over the
celery while it is still warm. Refrigerate for at least an hour before
serving. To serve, arrange the celery halves on individual chilled
plates and crisscross 2 anchovy fillets and 2 strips of pimiento over
each serving. Or instead, if you prefer, garnish the celery with a
slice of tomato and a slice of hard-cooked egg. In either case, moisten
the celery with a spoonful or so of the vinegar-olive oil sauce and
sprinkle with chopped parsley.

--
Wayne Boatwright

"One man's meat is another man's poison"
- Oswald Dykes, English writer, 1709.