How to properly peel celery and what to cook from it

Celery is a spicy vegetable that was brought to Russia from Mediterranean countries. Due to its high content of nutrients and vitamins, celery is considered the leader in terms of health benefits among other vegetable crops. Essential oils, which are also included in its composition, give the dishes a special aroma and rich taste. Every part of the plant, from root to leaves, is eaten. Raw celery, like processed celery, is tasty and healthy.

We will tell you how to properly clean the plant, store and use it.

Why celery is useful

Before we explore how to process and consume celery, let's look at the reason for its popularity. A biennial aromatic plant in the first year forms a root crop, in the second, a flower stem develops from it and seeds ripen.

The plant stimulates appetite, has a powerful antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and choleretic effect. It stimulates the activity of the kidneys, improves the separation of digestive juices, has a mild laxative effect, and enhances the blood supply to the genitals.

Do I need to peel celery

Celery can be leaf, stalked and root. And all these parts of the plant are used for food.

The leaves are added to food as vitamin-rich greens along with parsley and dill. If the leafy part of the vegetable does not need to be additionally cleaned, then the housewives have questions about the root and petiole.

The stem is used to make juice, fresh salads and stews. It is recommended to peel it, because if the rind is thick, it can add bitterness to the dish.

Celery root looks like a turnip. Complex dishes are prepared with it: soups, sauces, roasts, salads. This part of the plant must be cleaned before cooking.

How to peel and cut celery

Celery is easy to process: the leaves are washed, the roots are peeled from the upper layers, and the stems are peeled only if there is a thick peel.

Roots

Root peeling is not much more difficult than handling carrots or turnips:

1. Wash thoroughly under running water.
2. Cut off the top and bottom with a sharp knife.
3. Cut into several pieces.
4. Peel with a knife or vegetable cutter.
5. Remove dark spots to white fibers.
6. The spongy part of the rhizome is cut out (it is tasteless and there is no point in leaving it).
7. The peeled root is thoroughly washed again.
8. Cut into strips or cubes.
9. In order not to darken, pour water.

Stems

It is enough to wash young petioles thoroughly, they do not need cleaning. They are distinguished from the old ones by bright green and fresh leaves.

Older stalks contain tough tangs that are bitter and can spoil the taste of the dish.

To cleanse a plant:

1. Separate the stems from the base.
2. Wash thoroughly.
3. Remove the hard fibers on the surface with a knife (ordinary or for peeling vegetables).

Leaves

The leaves are used for dressing soups, salads or as a decoration for dishes along with parsley and dill. Therefore, they are simply washed.

How to cut

Usually peeled root and celery stalks are chopped into strips or cubes. You can also grate it. And the leaves are finely chopped, like the usual greens, or they are torn by hand.

Processing methods

Celery is eaten both raw and as part of dishes. During heat treatment, the plant loses some useful properties.

The root is eaten raw formadding to salads, cold soups. It is also boiled, fried, stewed, baked, marinated as a seasoning in the second vegetable and meat dishes, soups and winter preparations.

The leaves are eaten fresh, dried, salted and used as a seasoning.

Petioles are most often eaten raw, in fresh juices, smoothies and salads. They, like the root, are also added to many dishes.

Terms and conditions of storage

Celery cannot be stored for long, so it is recommended to buy it fresh. The shelf life depends on the storage conditions and averages from 3 to 10 days.

In the refrigerator or cool cellar

The shelf life is from 7 to 15 days.

The vegetable is washed and dried with a paper towel. Then wrapped in cling film or foil, or put in a plastic bag or plastic container and put in the refrigerator.

You can store only undamaged celery, without sluggish leaves and chopped stems. Otherwise, it will deteriorate in a matter of days.

There are also ways to preserve root vegetables for up to two months:

1. The roots are stuck vertically into dry sand poured into a box or box. The petioles are left on the surface. The sand box is stored in the basement or cellar.
2. Root crops are placed in plastic bags, sprinkled with a layer of sand (2 cm), placed in a room with a temperature not higher than + 1 ° C and a humidity of approximately 90%.
3. The clay is diluted with water to a creamy substance. The root crop is covered with a layer of clay, dried and placed in rows in a cool storage.

In the freezer

The shelf life is from 6 to 12 months.

It is recommended to store the celery in small portions because it cannot be frozen several times.

There are the following ways:

1. Cut into small pieces. Freeze in a bag or container. So they prepare in advance, for example, dressing for dishes.
2. Grind with a blender or meat grinder. The ice molds are filled with the resulting mixture and placed in the freezer.
3. Freeze the vegetable without chopping.

Celery leaf and petiole are frozen and whole: the stalks with leaves are folded in a tightly closed container and placed in the freezer.

Root celery is also frozen. To do this, it is cut or grated, then packed in small plastic bags.

At room temperature

The shelf life is from 2 to 3 days.

The longer the celery is kept warm, the faster it loses its beneficial properties, taste and appearance. Therefore, you can store it at room temperature if it will be used in the near future.

For better preservation:

1. Dip the vegetable into a jar.
2. Fill halfway with cold water.
3. Put away in a cool, dark place.
4. Change the water daily.

Dried

The shelf life is from 8 to 12 months.

All parts of the plant are suitable for drying.

Algorithm for preparation for drying:

1. Rinse thoroughly.
2. Cleans from dirt and skin, if necessary.
3. Cut thinly.
4. Spread on a baking sheet or tray.
5. Put in a dry, cool place for 30-40 days, or in an oven or electric dryer for 4-6 hours.
6. Then they are transferred to a paper bag, cloth bag or glass jar.

Salted

Salted celery can be stored throughout the winter, because salt is a natural preservative.

Salting leaf celery is done as follows:

1. 0.5 kg of plants are chopped or chopped using a meat grinder.
2. Pour in 100 g of salt and mix.
3. Add currant leaves or horseradish to taste.
4. The mixture is filled in a clean container.
5. Store salted celery at a temperature of + 5 ... + 7 ° C.

Celery dishes

Let's look at a few simple recipes for making celery.

Puree

Celery puree is a tasty and healthy side dish with a pleasant creamy texture. It cooks quickly and can be a great alternative to traditional mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

• celery root (medium) - half;
• potatoes - 1 pc.;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• milk - 1 l;
• butter - 50 g;
• bay leaf - 1 pc .;
• cheese (grated) - 1 tbsp. l .;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

1. Peel celery and potatoes and cut them into small cubes.
2. Put vegetables in a small saucepan, add garlic, bay leaf, pour milk so that all the ingredients are completely covered.
3. When the milk boils, reduce the heat. Continue cooking the vegetables for 15-20 minutes (until the celery and potatoes are tender).
4. Filter everything through a sieve (but do not pour out the milk!). The bay leaf is thrown away.
5. Vegetables are added with butter, cheese, salt, pepper and milk in which they were cooked.
6. Mix in a blender until smooth. The puree should be creamy.

The garnish is ready. Serve with meat, fish, poultry or other vegetables.

Pickled celery

Pickled celery is a uniquely beneficial dish that is healthier than a fresh plant due to the pickling process.

Ingredients:

• celery stalk - 6-7 pcs. medium size;
• water - 1.5 l;
• garlic - 4-5 cloves;
• ground chili - 0.5 tsp;
• black pepper (peas) - 7-10 peas;
• lemon - 1 pc.;
• sugar - 2 tbsp. l .;
• salt - 2 tbsp. l .;
• parsley stalk - 1 bunch.

Preparation:

1. Peel the celery stalk and cut into small pieces.
2. Peel the garlic and cut into thin strips.
3. Put black pepper, garlic, parsley, celery in one container. Season with chili powder.
4. Take 1.5 liters of water into a saucepan, add sugar and salt and bring to a boil.
5. Squeeze the lemon juice and add it to the pot after boiling.
6. Remove from fire.
7. The resulting hot liquid is poured into celery with spices.
8. Cover with a plate on top. To make it fall inside, they put oppression, for example, a jar half filled with water.
9. Leave the celery to cool at room temperature.
10. After everything has cooled down, put it in the refrigerator for three days.

The pickled celery is ready.

Salad

A fresh and juicy salad of celery, cucumbers, walnuts and green onions will diversify the menu and enrich the diet with vitamins and minerals.

Ingredients:

• stalk celery - 180 g;
• fresh cucumber - 190 g;
• walnuts - 25 g;
• green onions - 10 g;
• sour cream - 2 tbsp. l .;
• salt to taste.

Preparation:

1. All vegetables are washed and cleaned.
2. The stems are cut into small pieces.
3. The cucumber is pre-peeled so that it does not taste bitter. Cut into thin strips.
4. Chives are finely chopped.
5. Add vegetables to one container and mix.
6. Season the salad with sour cream.
7. The kernels of the walnuts are cut and added to vegetables.
8. Salt and mix again.

You can serve the salad right after cooking.

Soup

Celery is used to prepare not only snacks, but also hot dishes, such as soup.

Ingredients:

• celery stalk - 1 pc .;
• potatoes - 4 pcs.;
• onion - 1 pc .;
• carrots - 1 pc.;
• tomatoes - 1 pc.;
• salt and vegetable oil to taste.

Preparation:

1. All vegetables are washed and cleaned.
2. The potatoes are cut into cubes.
3. The celery is cut into small pieces.
4. Add everything to a saucepan, fill it with water, salt and set to cook.
5. Carrots are grated on a coarse grater.
6. Finely chop the onion.
7. Cut the tomato as small as possible.
8. Add everything to the pan along with butter and simmer for about 10 minutes.
9. The stewed vegetables are added to a saucepan and cooked until tender.
10. The finished soup is poured in a blender.
11. Then it is again poured into a saucepan and boiled.

Before consumption the soup is decorated with sprigs of herbs or pine nuts.

Smoothie

One of the most popular smoothie combinations is carrots and celery. They not only saturate the body with useful substances, but also give energy during the day.

Ingredients:

• stalked celery - 2-3 stalks;
• carrots - 1 pc.;
• orange - 1 pc.;
• honey to taste.

Preparation:

1. Rub the carrots on a fine grater.
2. Celery stalks are cut into thin slices.
3. Grind everything in a blender.
4. Squeeze juice from an orange.
5. Add to a blender along with honey.
6. Stir.

The smoothie is ready. If the taste is still bitter, more honey can be added.

Conclusion

This healthy spice plant is recommended for inclusion in the diet in any form: in the form of seasoning, puree, pickled preparation, a component of salad, soup, stew or smoothie. Not all parts are cleaned, but only the root and the old petiole, covered with a thick, bitter skin. Store celery in a cool place or freezer.

It is recommended to carefully study the specifics of storing different parts of the plant: the root crop can be stored for up to a year, and fresh leaves for only a few days.