There was a nice big bunch of celery in our CSA box this week.
There’s so much to do with celery, it seems to get used up in no time.
For dipping, there’s creamy blue cheese; for spreading, peanut butter and cream cheese. Sticks are great in lunches and for after-school snacking.
It gets chopped into so many soups, salads, and side dishes that it’s impossible to count. And what’s better than a nice stalk sticking out of a Bloody Mary at brunch?
But it’s pretty rare that celery becomes the feature, as it is in this dish where it’s tossed with sliced apples for a crunchy, refreshing salad.
— Lisa Abraham
GREEN APPLE AND CELERY SALAD WITH WALNUTS AND MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup Dijon mustard
5 tsp. honey
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 large bunch celery with leaves
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered, cored; each quarter cut into 2 wedges, then thinly sliced crosswise into triangle shapes
¾ cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
Trim celery leaves and chop enough to measure 1 cup. Thinly slice stalks on deep diagonal. Place celery pieces in bowl of cold water. (Vinaigrette, celery leaves, and celery pieces can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
Drain celery; pat dry with paper towels. Combine celery, celery leaves, apples, and walnuts in large bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to coat. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 8 servings.
Find previous installments of This Week’s Harvest and a list of local farmers markets at http://www.ohio.com/lifestyle/food.
