Produce of the Week; Celery Blend
This is our first go around in growing celery here in Central Alberta! We personally love the taste of celery, the closest we have come to in year past is the tops of celeriac. You will find a beautiful blend of three different kinds of celery stalks, Giant Red, Chinese White and Green from us this year. This blend will look much different from anything you can get in the grocery stores. Ours will have beautiful green leaves on top, the stems will be a darker colour and their flavour more pronounced. The Giant Red is super floral when first harvested with the scent of clove in the air!
Although celery is most often used for its stalks, its leaves are edible as well and have a concentrated celery-flavour. Try them tossed into salads, soups or dried and used as a seasoning mixes, blend into marinades and dressings or add into your savoury main dishes.
Giant Red; Red celery will vary in colour depending on but generally appears in shades of burgundy, red, purple, and green. The stalks have a narrower, firmer, denser consistency than green celery and an aqueous, succulent, and crisp, chewy mouthfeel. Red coloured celery has a rich, earthy, grassy, and herbal flavour, considered more robust than the neutral tones of green celery. This variety can be used in raw or cooked applications. If you are planning on using it raw try it in salads, slaws, serve with your favourite dip or as a garnish. It is more commonly used in cooked applications such as; braised, tossed into soups, stews & sauces, or poached and served as a savoury accompaniment to roasted meats. The stalks can also be minced into stuffing, chopped into casseroles, or cooked into vegetable medleys.
Chinese White; The stems are smooth, firm, thin, and hollow with a unique, bright white colouring. White celery is crisp and aromatic with a sweet, subtly peppery, and herbal flavour. This variety is best suited for both raw and cooked applications. When using raw, the celery is commonly consumed in its young state as an edible garnish, or it can be blended into sauces and dips. Mature stems can be sliced and lightly stir-fried with other vegetables for a crunchy, nutritious dish, chopped and added to soups, or sautéed with herbs and other veggies.
Green; Celery has a juicy and crunchy flesh with a mild salty flavour. It is commonly used as an aromatic, or in mire poix bases, but should not be overlooked as a vegetable. Add into any soup or stew, braise in vegetable stock and wine, or bake with cream and cheese into a gratin. Add thin into slaws or slaw, and great additions to incorporate in many appetizers.
Pairs well with;
Vegetables & Fruits; avocado, apples, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, scallions, tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, onions, and pears
Dairy & Meat; pork, poultry, lamb, and beef, fish, sharp cheese
Others; raisins, walnuts, thyme, bay leaves parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage.
Recipes;
Coconut Green Soup with Celery, Kale & Ginger; https://thefirstmess.com/2016/05/11/vegan-coconut-green-soup-celery/#recipe
Mint and Celery Soda; https://bojongourmet.com/mint-and-celery-soda/
23 Celery Recipes That Prove There's Much More to It Than Ants on a Log; https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/celery-recipes-salad-soup-stew-gallery
