Blue cheese co-star carries crisp celery
Celery had long languished as an underrated vegetable until it suddenly became Instagram-famous for completely unsubstantiated claims about magical healing properties. Never mind all that and enjoy it for what it is: an accessible, good-foryou vegetable that deserves to be brought out of the background and onto center stage.
Celery offers so many more culinary possibilities than you probably imagine — it is wonderful braised or stir-fried, for example, and it totally pops as a cool, crisp base for a winter salad.
This recipe plays the mild, juicy crunch of the vegetable against a creamy, pungent blue cheese dressing made more healthful by swapping out some of the typical mayonnaise with yogurt, which also adds a lovely light tang. Sliced radishes and flecks of fresh chives add color and flavor, resulting in a simple salad with an elegance that belies its humble ingredients. It is destined to be in your repertoire well after celery’s 15 minutes of fame has passed.
Celery Salad With Blue Cheese Dressing
1 large bunch celery,
preferably with leaves 3 medium red radishes, thinly
sliced into half moons
¼ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
(not Greek)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 teaspoons white wine
vinegar
½ teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese 1 heaping tablespoon chopped
fresh chives, for garnish
Remove the strings from the 4 or 5 outermost dark green celery ribs. Cut the white bottom end away from the remaining paler, leafy ribs. Remove the pale innermost leaves and coarsely chop them. Slice the ribs thinly on the diagonal, and place both the sliced ribs and the leaves in a large bowl with the radishes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese, then add the dressing to the bowl of celery and radish, tossing to coat.
Sprinkle with the chives and serve.
Makes 4 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 120 calories, 4 g protein, 10 g fat, 4 g carbohydrate (3 g sugar), 15 mg cholesterol, 390 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 0.
Ellie Krieger is a registered dietitian, nutritionist and author who hosts public television’s Ellie’s Real Good Food.