 | | Name: | Celery | | Plural names: | Celery |
| Description: | Celery is a very popular vegetable, used primarily in salads and soups. In North America, commercial production of celery is dominated by a variety called Pascal celery. Gardeners can grow a range of cultivars , many which differ little from the wild species, mainly in having stouter leaf stems. They are ranged under two classes, white and red; the white cultivars being generally the best flavoured, and most crisp and tender.
As a salad plant, celery, especially if at all "stringy", is difficult to digest. Celery has 'negative calories', as the effort to consume it burns more calories than it contains. The net loss in calories is not significant in and of itself, but as with other low calorie and high fiber foods, it can be an asset to dieters because when the stomach is filled up with celery it can quench feelings of hunger while leaving less room for higher calorie foods. It also possesses valuable diuretic properties.
Both blanched and green it is stewed and used soups, the seeds also being used as a flavouring ingredient. Even after long immersion in broth, the stalks remain somewhat crisp, and useful for adding texture to the soup.
In the south of Europe celery is seldom blanched, but is much used in its natural condition.
Chopped, it is one of the three vegetables considered the holy trinity of Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine. It is also one of the three vegetables (together with onions and carrots) that constitute the french mirepoix, which is often used as a base for sauces and soups.
Celery seed is used as a spice. When combined with salt, the resulting spice blend is called celery salt. Celery salt is used as an alternate to ordinary salt seasoning in various recipes and cocktails. It is notably used to enhance the flavor of Bloody Mary and the Chicago-style hot dog. |
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