Food glossary

Celery

Celery

With its crunchy texture and refreshing taste, celery should be a fresh white or green colour, with plenty of small inner stalks and crisp green leaves. Winter celery has especially tender stalks and a sweet flavour. Available all year.

Uses: Raw celery has long been a popular ingredient in salads and goes particularly well with cheese and biscuits. The tougher outer stalks and leaves can also be a tasty addition to soups, stews and casseroles or served as an accompanying vegetable.

To store: Keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

To prepare: Break off the stalks and trim the ends, scrub well and chop into bite-sized pieces or leave whole.

To cook: Cut the stalks into 3cm lengths and sauté in butter for 5 minutes, cover with water or stock and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender, drain and sprinkle with chopped fresh dill or tarragon to serve. Be careful not to overcook celery or it will loose its texture.