Currently viewing the tag: "celery"
A variation of Sautéed Celery, this adds silky ribbons of leeks and a little white wine for depth and contrast to the crunch of the celery. Use scissors when trimming the celery leaves for ease. You have to use good butter for this dish as that is really all there is for the sauce.
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This is a simple variation on basic braised chicken. By changing the herbs and spices and some of the aromatics, you can take this dish from Mexico and the American South West to the Middle East or even South East Asia. Typically, braised chicken would be sautéed first to brown, and then liquid is added, the pot is covered and then cooked in the oven until done. This is the method I learned at Chez Panisse and is so simple. Simmer the chicken covered, skin down in liquid, and after 30 minutes, turn the chicken so the skin is above the surface of the liquid and cooked, uncovered, until browned on top (around 15 minutes) and serve. This recipe is made with legs because that is what was used, but you can use any parts you want with fine results. If you used all wings, though, you might wish to cut back the time to keep the meat from falling off the bone. Although the recipe seems long, it is not really. It also gives you meat and veg in one dish and can be assembled and cooked in about an hour. Excellent when cooked a day ahead and re-heated.
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This recipe turns on two other basic recipes – Roast Beets, and Braised Shelling Beans-for a fairly easy to make dish that is filling and pretty in a bowl. Although the beets may seem an odd fit here, the earthiness of the beets links to the earthiness of the beans and carrots, while the vinegar and natural sugars of the beets make them an excellent foil to the rest of the ingredients.
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Tagged with: beets • carrots • celery • cranberry shelling beans • dairy-free • gluten-free • golden beets • shelling beans • spinach • vegan • vegetarian
This stock is used in the same way you would use a dark chicken stock or other meat stock. It works well as a base for sauces and soups, and if you are feeling under the weather it is nice for when you don’t want to actually eat, but want some nutrition. It is really nice heated up with some fresh ginger in it. In meat stocks, the agent that thickens it is gelatin. In vegetables, the equivalent is pectin. By charring the onions and sautéing the rest of the vegetables, the pectin is catalyzed and so more readily available to the stock. Konbu* is a type of kelp. Seaweeds are used commercially as a thickener in many things, from toothpaste to ice cream, and is used that way here.
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Tagged with: broth • carrots • celery • dairy-free • gluten-free • leeks • mushrooms • onion • parsnips • rutabagas • soup • stock • turnips • vegan • vegetarian
This is called blond vegetable stock rather than “Light Vegetable Stock” because it is light in color, or blond, and to avoid confusion that it is somehow light in flavor or calories. Use this where you would a light chicken stock, as a soup base, or in vegetables. Be sure to start with cold water, and skim frequently.
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This sauce will seem creamy, but the texture comes from the pureed green garlic and leek or onion, not from any dairy product. Use this on fish and seafood, chicken, or tofu. It can be stirred into soups or pots of grains or beans to add depth of flavor as well. When the green garlic season is over, you can still use this recipe, just use blanched or roasted garlic cloves instead. This sauce can be used hot or cold.
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This is a dish that straddles the line between soup and stew. It is similar to Ribbolita or Minestrone, and is the sort of thing you can eat for 2-3 days, changing it each day by adding something or other to the pot and cooking it a little longer. Also, if you have a Parmesan cheese rind, this is a great time to use it.
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Tagged with: beans • carrots • celery • cranberry shelling beans • herbs • lacinato kale • oregano • parsley • sausage • soup
One of the things I like to do in the kitchen is make vegetable dishes using the same method as I would a meat dish. In this instance, I was thinking of a pot roast done with Chantenay carrots instead of chuck roast. I love Chantenay carrots, especially when they get bigger. The stubby shape with the larger diameter makes them perfect for trimming into larger shapes that take a longer cooking yielding a deep flavor. For the potatoes, you want a waxy potato that will hold it’s shape when cooked, and the Bintje is great for this.
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Tagged with: Bintje potatoes • braise • carrots • celery • Chantenay carrot • herbs • onion • potatoes • vegan • vegetarian
Lamb neck can come as slices or chunks cut lengthwise and split. This is what I prefer. Although bony, the meat of the neck is very flavorful and is wonderful for braises and tagines. This recipe yields meat that is almost falling off the bone. The flavors can easily be varied, as can the vegetables. See the Chef’s Notes at the end for variations. Although the recipe seems long, it isn’t really, and once you’ve done it, it is easily done again. This is one of those dishes where the Ben-Riner mandolin knocks the time down to minutes.
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Think of how often a dish starts with a sauté of onions, carrots, and celery. In Italy this combination is called soffritto. In France it is cooked with butter and called mirepoix, but for general purposes I like it cooked with a light flavored olive oil or even grapeseed oil, which is neutrally flavored, so I call it by the Italian name. I like to make this in larger batches, removing some when it is still pale, or blond, then cooking the remaining amount until it is a darker shade of amber, giving it a caramelized flavor. I sometimes even let some go until it is quite dark, like tobacco, for a very deep flavor. I then freeze it in batches. I use large zip bags and flatten out the soffritto in the bags, making it easier to stack and easier to simply break off the amount I wish to use. Some people freeze it in ice trays as you might pesto. However you store it, having this in the freezer is like having a time machine. It can make having good tasting food on the table much quicker, or if you have several pans going at once it is quite helpful as well as it is easy to burn smaller amounts of onions.
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Most of the time celery is thought of in a supporting role, or as diet food, if it is thought of at all. Integral to so many dishes as part of a base, most would never think of celery as a dish on it’s own, but here it is. This dish has succulence, a bit of crunch, and a clean flavor. Elemental in its simplicity, it makes a great complement or foil for many dishes. High quality butter for this is important as it is all there is to flavor the dish besides the celery. The butter thickens to form a light sauce coating the celery batons.
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Here is another mei quin and shiitake recipe. This version has a little more depth of flavor that comes from the Ground Bean Paste, and the shiitake flavor is less prominent. Although based on traditional Chinese techniques and ingredients, I doubt you’ll find it in any restaurant. My family loved it, even the kids.
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Sometimes I just get in the mood for something from my childhood, and when it comes to salads, this does it. This is based on a taste memory of the Thousand Island dressing from the now defunct Marshall Field’s Department store in Chicago. This dressing is great on turkey sandwiches or salads with lots of chunky veggies in it.
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