By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

Celery is a vegetable that is overlooked and often taken for granted. We’re used to seeing it in salads and paired with carrots as a vegetable to dip in various and sundry substances, but it’s time to regroup. Don’t neglect celery as more than just a tired old snack food.

It has the advantage of being nutritious and a real plus as far as diets go, and it’s considered a negative rated source of calories.

String it before eating, a task easily done with a vegetable peeler. Whether you enjoy it as soup, salad, a side dish or part of Thanksgiving dinner, there should be at least one recipe featured that you’ll enjoy. All you have to do is try it.

Celery Stuffing

• 2 cups diced celery, with leaves
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 quarts bread cubes
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sage
• 1 pinch dried thyme

Melt butter in saucepan. Saute onion in melted butter until soft, but not brown. Add celery and stir well. Add two cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Place bread cubes into large mixing bowl. Add eggs, salt, pepper, sage, thyme and marjoram. Add onion and celery mixture. Combine thoroughly. If still too dry, add more chicken broth. Makes enough to stuff a 10 to 15 pound turkey.

Braised Celery

• 8 stalks celery, rinsed and trimmed, leaves chopped and reserved
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Pinch kosher salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup good quality beef stock or broth

Peel any of the fibrous outer stalks of celery with a vegetable peeler and slice into 1-inch pieces on the bias.

Heat the butter in a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat. Once melted, add the celery, salt and pepper and cook for five minutes until just beginning to soften slightly.

Add the beef broth and stir to combine. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the celery is tender but not mushy, approximately five minutes. Uncover and allow the celery to continue to cook for an additional five minutes or until the liquid has been reduced to a glaze.

Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the reserved leaves.

Celery Salad

• 3/4 cup sliced celery
• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/3 cup frozen green peas, thawed
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients; chill.

Cream of Celery Soup

• 3 quarts chicken stock
• 3 pounds celery, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 pound carrots, julienned
• 1/2 pound onions, chopped
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 3 quarts hot milk
• 1 cup margarine

Pour the chicken stock into a large pot, and bring to a boil. Add the celery, carrots and onion to the pot. Whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, and milk; add to the pot along with the margarine. Boil for 10 minutes, then strain out the vegetables by pouring through a sieve, or if the vegetables are large enough, a colander may be used.