Celery

About

This category covers celery stalks, celeriac (the swollen root of a celery relative), and celery seed, which comes from wild celery (smallage) and is ground into celery salt. All share, with the herb lovage, the compounds responsible for classic celery flavor. That flavor is most concentrated in the seeds, which taste warm, bitter, and citrusy; stalks are saltier with an anise-like edge, while celeriac is milder, adding root-vegetable sweetness and earthiness. Lovage's seeds, stems, and leaves are all used, including in an alcoholic cordial drunk with brandy. Celery flavor is savory and stock-like, which is why it is a staple in soups and stews, where it brings out the sweetness of meat and seafood.

Pairs well with celery

• EaPotatoRoasted, crushed celery seed stirred into potato salad adds a savory spike.
• SuEggCelery salt and hard-boiled eggs are a classic pairing, with celery's citrusy, pine-like flavor offsetting egg's sulfurous notes; this…
• FrAppleApple, celery and walnut bound lightly with mayonnaise is the classic Waldorf salad.
• MeBeefSlow-cooked celery becomes sweeter and more savory, and its stalks and seeds are commonly used to deepen the flavor of beef braises and…
• MaShellfishThe New England lobster roll combines lobster meat with mayonnaise and/or melted butter in a soft bun; recipes vary on whether to add…
• MePorkCelery's mild anise-fennel note pairs naturally with pork; celery seed is a common addition to charcuterie, liver sausages, and meatloaf.
• MeChickenCelery sauce was a standard nineteenth-century British and American accompaniment to boiled chicken, traditionally made by simmering…
• MeLambIn Persian cooking, celery and lamb appear together in a khoresh (stew), with celery fried alongside herbs before being added to the meat.
• SuOnionDiced carrot, celery and onion form mirepoix, the aromatic base for many stocks, soups and stews; adding bacon or cured fat makes a…
• WoCarrotBoth appear grated in classic French dishes: carottes râpées (finely grated carrot dressed with light olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon…
• WoWalnutCelery and walnut share an aromatic compound called phthalide (also found in lovage), which is part of why they work so well together in…
• RoPeanut'Ants on a log,' an American snack of celery stalks filled with peanut butter and topped with raisins, balances celery's crisp bitterness…
• ChBlue CheeseBlue cheese and celery is a classic combination, seen in Buffalo chicken wings served with blue cheese dip and celery sticks, and in…
• SpNutmegMany nineteenth-century celery sauce recipes were seasoned with nutmeg or mace, though some contemporary writers considered this…
• ChSoft CheeseCelery's refreshing, faintly bitter, anise-tinged quality suits a cheeseboard, and it shares flavor compounds with walnut, another classic…
• MaOysterCelery's fresh, citrus-like quality pairs well with oysters, as in a recipe where chopped celery is sautéed in butter, combined with…
• BrProsciuttoCeleriac remoulade - a creamy, crunchy, mustardy celeriac salad - pairs well with cured ham such as Bayonne prosciutto, making a classic…
• SuTruffleCeleriac purée mixed with mashed potato, cream, and grated truffle is a classic combination.
• MaWhite FishAn unusual pairing: celeriac, celery's milder root form, works better than the stringy stalks alongside flaky white fish.
• WoChestnutFinely diced celery is a recommended pairing for chestnuts in soup, both for flavor compatibility and because the two ingredients have…
• MuHorseradishEarly Bloody Mary recipes, including the one attributed to the drink's self-proclaimed inventor, didn't include celery or horseradish, but…