Crunch and munch on celery for a low-calorie snack
It’s easy to take celery for granted. It’s called for as a crunchy, colorful ingredient in everything from chicken salad to chicken soup, but alone it leans toward boring. While you may stuff it with pimento cheese or peanut butter, it rarely holds the spotlight. But isn’t it nice to have tried-and-true basics that can be counted on like that?
Celery is very different from other members in the Umbelliferae family, which are carrots, fennel, parsnips, chervil, anise, caraway and parsley. Typically, the plant is a biennial, taking two seasons to produce seeds and finish the life cycle. It grows the first year and produces flowers and seeds the second. The seeds are among the smallest of all vegetable seeds.
Like nearly everything at the supermarket, the more it is cut, the more it costs. Purchasing whole celery is the most economical. When you get it home, separate the stalks and wash thoroughly. Remove and discard any discolored tips. Dry off the excess moisture
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Rodney, celeriac has a pronounced celery flavor that is much stronger than common green celery stalks. It is the cocoa-colored root of a particular type of celery. Because the flavor is so pronounced, many soak it first to lessen the impact. If you choose to do so, place it in enough water to cover. Add a tablespoon of salt and lemon juice before rinsing and peeling to use. and place in a plastic bag. It will keep in the vegetable crisper drawer for up to two weeks.
Thanks to multiple growing areas that go from coast to coast, there really is no season for celery. You will be able to find ample and excellent supplies all year. It isn’t something you need to stock up on because the supplies are so consistent. Freezing will cause the product to become soft and mushy, so your refrigerator is the only storage place.
A half-cup portion (one large rib) contains only 9 calories and is loaded with potassium. The famous crunch is due to the air-filled cells within the stalk. A medium bunch usually weighs in at 11⁄2 pounds and yields about 41⁄2 cups sliced or diced celery. The name comes from a Latin word meaning “quick-acting,” most likely referring to its medicinal qualities.
Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks and can be seen on “Volunteer Gardener” on PBS stations in Tennessee. Follow her at www.hauteflavor.com
Rodney Harris of Cookeville was given some celeriac and told he needed to soak it before using. “Can you tell me why I need to do this? I never have done that before,” he writes.