Tips for Using Celery in the Kitchen With Chef Bhatt

Chef Vishwesh Bhatt pays his dues to celery with this delicious white wine-braised dish.

Is there a vegetable we mistreat and disrespect more than celery? Celery has to be the Washington, DC, of vegetables. Let me explain, since I am now writing this from my tiny little apartment in our nation’s capital. Yes, you read that right. I am now living in DC! I have left my beloved Oxford, Mississippi, to take the helm at Chai Pani DC. Y’all can expect some very Indian-inspired recipes from me in the coming issues.

DC, aside from being the capital, is a historic city. It has a vibrant multicultural food scene. It has art galleries, parks, music venues, lively neighborhoods that are on par with or better than those found in other big cities. And yet… we rarely give the city’s food scene the respect it deserves.

Celery is much the same. It forms the backbone of many of our favorite dishes, but its mirepoix buddies get to shine on their own as glazed carrots and French onion soup, while celery, sadly, gets relegated to the role of sidekick to chicken wings or an afterthought on a crudités platter. Sometimes it is unceremoniously stuck into a not-so-good bloody mary. But as winter approaches, I am here to show y’all that celery, just like Washington, DC, can shine on its own if you just give it a fair shake.

This braised celery dish is inspired by a dish my friend and mentor John Currence served at a dinner and subsequently put on the menu at City Grocery when I worked there. I expect you might cook it with some trepidation at first—however, I’m certain it will become a regular on your winter dinner rotation just like it has for me.

Get the Recipe

I often make this for brunch when we have overnight company. I like to serve it as its own course, topped with a sunny-side-up egg and a thick slice of crusty bread, but it also goes nicely with a rich stew. If you can’t find country ham, use a good pancetta or serrano ham.

Recipe by Vishwesh Bhatt, Image Courtesy of Scott Suchman

recipe

yields

Serves 4

Ingredients for the white wine-braised celery:


• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
  

• 1⁄2 cup diced country ham
  

• 1 leek, sliced thin into half moons 5 garlic cloves, smashed
  

• 1 cup good-quality canned plum tomatoes, plus 1⁄3 cup juice from can
  

• 1 head bright-green celery with fresh green leaves, cut into 1-inch
  

• pieces; reserve leaves for salsa 1 cup dry white wine
  

• 1 cup no-sodium chicken stock
  

• 1 teaspoon salt
  

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  

• 2 bay leaves
  

• 1 teaspoon thyme
  

• 4 sunny-side-up eggs, grated parmesan, and crusty bread for serving
  

• 
  

For the celery leaf salsa verde:


• 3⁄4 cup finely chopped celery leaves
  

• 1⁄2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 1⁄2 cup green onion, bulb and greens finely chopped
  

• 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
  

• 3 garlic cloves, mashed fine 1 anchovy fillet smashed (alternatively, use a healthy tablespoon of Worcestershire) 1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
  

• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
  

• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  

• 1 teaspoon pepper

steps

Make the Celery

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pan, heat olive oil over medium-high until shimmering.
3. Add ham and sauté for a minute or so until it is aromatic and just starts to crisp around the edges.
4. Add leek and sauté until very soft, about 3 minutes.
5. Add smashed garlic and stir.
6. Crush tomatoes by hand and add them and the reserved juice to the pan. Stir and cook until juice is thick and coats the leeks.
7. Add chopped celery and stir well to combine.
8. Add white wine and increase heat until simmering.
9. Stir in chicken stock, salt, red pepper, bay leaves, and thyme.
10. Return to a simmer, cover, and place in oven for 30 minutes.

 

 

Make the Salsa Verde

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir. (If you prefer a smoother salsa, put everything in a blender and blend for 30 seconds.) Store in a pint container until ready to use.
2. After 30 minutes, turn off oven but keep door closed and let pan sit inside for 10 more minutes.
3. Carefully remove pan from oven (it will still be very hot) and remove lid, being careful of the hot steam.
4. At this point celery will be very aromatic, just soft, not mushy, and ready to serve as a very tasty accompaniment to a roast or stew. Or serve as an entrée topped with a sunny- side-up egg, a generous drizzle of salsa verde, some freshly grated parmesan, and a thick slice of crusty bread.

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