Celery is a very versatile plant whose ribs, leaves, and seeds are all used for culinary purposes. Botanically, the stalk refers to the whole bunch of ribs with leaves. Most home cooks call each rib a stalk, but in this article, we will be botanical!
With celery’s origins in the Mediterranean, Greeks and Romans probably first cultivated celery, using it as medicine and like laurel to crown the heads of athletes. It was treated as a bitter herb in Israel and used in the Passover meal. The French did not consider celery a regular table food until the 1600s. Over the decades, English gardeners crossbred varieties to produce the U-shaped ribs that we find today. The Chinese developed celery with thinner ribs and more flavor to use in soups and stir-fries.
The greener the celery, the more intense the flavor. In the 1800s as celery grew more popular in America after the Civil War, celery was even served in special tall celery glasses or vases with the leafy tops spreading out like a bouquet of flowers. Because of the pale colors of celery, it is sometimes not thought of as nutritious. However, celery is nutrient rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and dietary fiber despite the high water content.
Peak Time: November to March in the South
Average Price: $1.27 per bunch
Tips for Selection and Storage: Choose celery stalks with crisp ribs that feel firm and have fresh green leaves. Stalks should feel heavy for their size. Rinsed celery stalks with or without the leaves and wrapped in paper towels may be refrigerated in the crisper for several weeks. Individual ribs may be kept crisp or revived in the refrigerator by standing them in ice water. Celery leaves can be left on the ribs or stored the same way separately. Celery is unfortunately one of the vegetables on the pesticide Dirty Dozen List. You can opt for organic celery which should also be rinsed or be sure to rinse conventional celery under running water, gently scrubbing with a vegetable brush to remove not just the dirt, but surface residues.
Tips for Preparation: Celery ribs are eaten raw in salads, with dip, or stuffed. Celery may be steamed, sautéed, or braised as a flavoring in stocks, soups, stews, or casseroles. Celery is part of the seasoning for stock called mirepoix with carrots and onion. Celery is essential for southern cornbread dressing. It is also one third of the holy trinity of southern cooking along with bell pepper and onion. The leaves are used for other seasonings and may be fresh or dried in a slow oven and then rubbed through a sieve to make a powder. Celery seed is available commercially for seasoning. One rib yields about 3/4 cup diced celery.
Nutritional Highlights: Celery is very low calorie, but a good source of both types of dietary fiber, soluble and insoluble. These fibers aid digestion, help you feel full, manage blood sugar, and support heart health. The greener ribs on the outside of the stalk will have more chlorophyll and beta carotene. However, all of the celery stalk is rich other antioxidants as well as vitamins C, K, folate, and minerals like chromium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Celery leaves have more calcium, potassium, beta carotene, and vitamin C than the stalks. Celery ribs, leaves, and seeds have approximately 25 anti-inflammatory compounds that can offer protection against inflammation in the body.
