With celery

1: CELERY SNACK BARS

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 pack of celery

• Homemade or shop-bought nut butter

• Sunflower seeds

• Runny honey

Directions

Separate the stalks of celery and rinse them under the tap.

Spread the nut butter along each celery stalk. Sprinkle over the sunflowers seeds and then drizzle over the honey. z lovecelery.co.uk

2: CELERY, CHICKEN AND GINGER BROTH

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 head of Fenland celery

• 6cm piece of fresh ginger, about as wide as a big thumb, peeled

• 1 bunch of spring onions, peeled and thinly sliced

• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes

• 1 litre fresh chicken stock

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 skinless free-range chicken breasts

• Juice of 1 big lime, plus extra to taste

• 2-3tbsp fish sauce, depending on the brand, plus extra to taste

• 4 handfuls fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

• 1 medium red chilli, finely sliced

Directions

Remove the outer stems of the celery and keep for stock. Put the leaves to one side. Cut the inner stalks lengthways into wafer thin shreds, each about 6-8cm long.

Finely grate half the ginger so it turns into a purée. Cut the remaining ginger into wafer thin discs, then slice across into fine shreds.

Put a handful of the spring onions to one side, then put the rest in a saucepan with the ginger, garlic, dried chilli and shredded celery (but not the leaves). Add the chicken stock and 250ml water, season with pepper and ½ tsp salt and bring to a simmer.

Slip the chicken breasts into the hot liquid and cook at the lowest possible heat, simmer for 15 minutes, until the meat is just cooked through. Remove the chicken and put to one side.

Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer again and leave it to bubble gently for another 15 minutes, or until the celery is soft.

Remove the chicken breasts from the liquid, tear into thin strips and when the broth is ready, add back in. Leave it to warm through for a minute, then add the lime juice, fish sauce and three-quarters of the coriander leaves.

Turn off the heat, check the seasoning and let things stand for 5 minutes, for the flavours to get to know each other. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the celery leaves and remaining coriander, fresh chilli and remaining spring onions. Add more fish sauce and lime juice to taste. z lovecelery.co.uk

3: CIDER GLAZED ROASTED CELERY WITH CRISPY PARMESAN TOPPING

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 head celery, washed, separated into stalks and cut into approx. 10cm lengths

• 400ml medium dry cider

• 2tbsp cider vinegar

For the topping:

For the salad:

Heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan. Put the bread on to an oven tray, drizzle with the oil and season well. Toast in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the baked bread from the oven and cut into square, crouton shapes.

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Cut the halloumi into 8 slices and toss in half of the dressing. Cook on a barbecue, griddle or in a frying pan for 5 minutes, turning halfway through until they’re crisp and browned on the outside.

While the halloumi is cooking, spread the leaves, celery, spring onion and radishes on a serving plate and drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Scatter over the croutons then lay the slices on top and serve immediately.

Note: This works well in a flatbread or burger bun as a veggie barbecue option.

lovecelery.co.uk halloumi