Absurdly, stupidly basic cooking questions (Part 2)

[Kerala]

Phew! No one I know in real life actually likes celery, so that's one job less.

[Anna N]

2 hours ago, Kerala said:

Phew! No one I know in real life actually likes celery, so that's one job less.

I think that you can go one better! I hope I’m remembering correctly that Thomas Keller does not use celery in his mirepoix. 

[kayb]

56 minutes ago, Anna N said:

I think that you can go one better! I hope I’m remembering correctly that Thomas Keller does not use celery in his mirepoix. 

I don’t either. I have found when I’m cooking anything Cajun and need “the trinity,” that I can sub Cubanelles or another banana pepper for the dreaded GBP. And chopped green tomatoes for celery. Else, I just leave the celery out.

[Anna N]

1 minute ago, kayb said:

I don’t either. I have found when I’m cooking anything Cajun and need “the trinity,” that I can sub Cubanelles or another banana pepper for the dreaded GBP. And chopped green tomatoes for celery. Else, I just leave the celery out.

I’m not sure if Keller substituted something else. I will do a bit more research to see if I can find a reference. 

[heidih]

6 hours ago, Susanwusan said:

Isn't there a way of telling which is the male or female fruit in order to get ones without seeds in?

The male - female eggplant thing is a myth that still gets traction on the internet!  https://sciencing.com/difference-between-male-female-eggplant-13427476.html

[chromedome]

The presence of seeds is literally what defines a fruit (which includes eggplants, tomatoes and bell peppers). Seedlessness in fruits simply means they're smaller/less mature/less noticeable when harvested for human consumption. As noted by Heidi, gender in this context isn't a thing.

[heidih]

2 minutes ago, chromedome said:

The presence of seeds is literally what defines a fruit (which includes eggplants, tomatoes and bell peppers). Seedlessness in fruits simply means they're smaller/less mature/less noticeable when harvested for human consumption. As noted by Heidi, gender in this context isn't a thing.

 

Good explanation on harvest and pick here  https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/eggplant/seedy-eggplants.htm#:~:text=Why Are My Eggplants Seedy – What To Do For Seedy Eggplants&text=Cutting into an eggplant only,harvesting at the wrong time.

[weinoo]

The lack of love for celery is ridiculous. The fact that it's one of the 3 ingredients in a classic French mirepoix, and used freely in much Ronan/Italian cooking, only proves that those who disdain are misguided.

[heidih]

2 minutes ago, weinoo said:

The lack of love for celery is ridiculous. The fact that it's one of the 3 ingredients in a classic French mirepoix, and used freely in much Ronan/Italian cooking, only proves that those who disdain are misguided.

Or scarred for life by years of extreme dieting

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Celery soup, either from just stalk celery or by combining with celery root, is fabulous.    With it's elegant and elusive flavor, it is always a hit at dinners.    It can be served hot or cold, in bowls or cups.  

Edited August 24, 2022 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[weinoo]

Just now, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Celery soup, either from just stalk celery or by combining with celery root, is fabulous.    With it's elegant and elusive flavor, it is always a hit a dinners. 

So is stir-fried, braised, à la Grecque, Sardinian celery and bottarga salad, caponata, and on and on.

[Katie Meadow]

2 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Celery soup, either from just stalk celery or by combining with celery root, is fabulous.    With it's elegant and elusive flavor, it is always a hit at dinners.    It can be served hot or cold, in bowls or cups.  

I'm in! Is there a recipe handy?

 

I know there are people who hate celery, and I'm always amazed. It isn't like they have an allergy, they just claim to hate it. My fridge is never without it. Potato salad and tuna salad and shrimp salad depend on it. How could you make red beans and rice without the trinity? And you would miss out on Gabrielle Hamilton's celery toast with cambazola.  So harmless, yet so essential. Of course I have no medical reason to hate broccoli, and yet I hate it.

[blue_dolphin]

35 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

I'm in! Is there a recipe handy?

You didn’t ask me but a few celery soup recipes that I like from the times when my CSA was bombarding me with celery the size of a baseball bat:

Creamy Celery Soup - Most of the celery gets cooked with onion, leeks and garlic before being puréed.  A smaller amount gets braised gently in butter and added at the end and adds a nice bit of textural contrast.  "Creamy" is in the name, but the recipe uses 4 cups of chicken stock and 1/4 cup of cream so it's not a heavy soup.

 

Celery Soup with Cashel Blue Cheese from Delia Smith's Christmas is very yummy.  I've made it with a variety of different blue cheeses

 

I was drawn to this Celery and Pear Bisque in part by its use of dark green leek tops which I always hated to discard when they were lovely and fresh.  Like the first recipe, I like the contrast of the smooth soup and the garnish, in this case, finely chopped fresh pear.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Two Celeries Soup uses both bunch celery and celery root.    I usually top it with just creme fraiche and chives or drops of curry oil. 

[TdeV]

2 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

I'm in! Is there a recipe handy?

 

<snip>

Gabrielle Hamilton's celery toast with cambazola. 

 

Yes, please!

[DianaB]

19 hours ago, heidih said:

Or scarred for life by years of extreme dieting

Is celery perhaps one of those foods that our taste buds adapt to with a little age?  I use it in mirepoix but had never really experimented with it beyond that due to a misguided belief that I didn’t like the flavour on its own.  A year or two back OH requested celery for his salad, I was quite happy to prepare some for him (yes I do remove the strings, it only takes a few seconds with quantities appropriate for 2 people), I decided to taste a chunk and, quelle surprise, I thought that it was ok.  I wouldn’t whip my cat across a field of broken glass to acquire celery but I can now appreciate it on its own.

 

I guess that other things in this category include blue cheese - still remember the day that I discovered that I love the flavour Roquefort - couldn’t tolerate any blue cheese until at least in my mid-20s.  Same for parsnip.  Can’t think of others for now but am certain that there are quite a few.  
 

I think that age also permits us to distinguish flavours more, certainly it is only in recent years that I have properly been able to identify one type of potato from another.  In the UK our key potato moment is the arrival of Jersey Royal new potatoes and I have been known to pay a small fortune for those at the start of the season because there are no other spuds with similar flavour.  In winter I appreciate King Edward potatoes, thankfully these are inexpensive.  Not sure that 10 years ago I would have been able to detect a King Edward from a Maris Piper.  Perhaps it is just me 🙃 

Edited August 25, 2022 by DianaB
Correcting autocorrect (log)

[Anna N]

16 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

You didn’t ask me

You didn’t ask me either but if soup is not your thing perhaps pickles are:

Pickled celery. 

[weinoo]

I also like Kenta's idea...

 

Kombu Celery

 

Celery Victor...https://www.food.com/recipe/celery-victor-431040

 

And how would one make a Waldorf Salad without celery?  https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/waldorf_salad/

[Anna N]

19 minutes ago, weinoo said:

I also like Kenta's idea...

 

Kombu Celery

 

Celery Victor...https://www.food.com/recipe/celery-victor-431040

 

And how would one make a Waldorf Salad without celery?  https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/waldorf_salad/

All sound good. 

[lemniscate]

I've been dehydrating celery and making a celery powder.   I've added it to potato salad, cole slaw, dips, broth/gravy, etc as a background flavor.  All the celery flavor with none of the its added moisture that can make some dishes soggy.

 

I prefer celery leaves over the stalk for eating outright.  I can't get leaves on the normal supermarket celery around here, they are trimmed naked.   I have found that Chinese celery has tons of leaves and a stronger flavor which makes me happy for my celery fix.

[donk79]

4 minutes ago, lemniscate said:

I've been dehydrating celery and making a celery powder.  

That sounds fascinating.  Are you removing the strings before drying?  Is there anything else of note in your process?

[lemniscate]

3 minutes ago, donk79 said:

That sounds fascinating.  Are you removing the strings before drying?  Is there anything else of note in your process?

Nothing but chopping up and putting in dehydrator.   When dry, I then spin in a spice grinder to a powder and its done.   

[weinoo]

Celery seed, celery salt, celery powder - all good.  As are the leaves, which always find a use here.

[chromedome]

2 hours ago, DianaB said:

I guess that other things in this category include blue cheese - still remember the day that I discovered that I love the flavour Roquefort - couldn’t tolerate any blue cheese until at least in my mid-20s.  Same for parsnip.  Can’t think of others for now but am certain that there are quite a few.  
 

It's interesting you should mention blue cheese in the context of celery, because I find them a wonderful pairing. When I was a sprout I'd eat celery with Cheez Whiz on it (I never heard of "ants on a log" until I was a grownup, and thought it a truly bizarre combination), and celery with blue cheese is basically the adult equivalent.

[DianaB]

1 minute ago, chromedome said:

It's interesting you should mention blue cheese in the context of celery, because I find them a wonderful pairing. When I was a sprout I'd eat celery with Cheez Whiz on it (I never heard of "ants on a log" until I was a grownup, and thought it a truly bizarre combination), and celery with blue cheese is basically the adult equivalent.

Well that’s me educated for the day!  I had never heard of Cheez Whiz or “ants on a log” until I read your post, now, thanks to a quick search, my mind has been expanded!  
I guess you are right about blue cheese with celery; we tend to be very boring with a cheese course restricting non-cheese content to crusty bread.  The two might pair nicely in a salad though, or with a poached pear.