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.
INGREDIENTS:
1 head celery 6-8 tablespoons butter salt and pepper to tasteMETHOD:
Separate the large stalks from the celery head, saving the heart for something else. Trim the leaves and reserve, and wash the celery well, then drain.
Trim the ends off the stalks, then cut away any “joints” on the stalks near the tops. I find these to be bitter and tough.
Cut each stalk into 2½ x ½ inch batons.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. (The pan should be just large enough to hold the celery without too much piling up on each other.) When the pan is hot, add 6 tablespoons of butter. When the butter foams, add the celery batons and toss to coat. If it seems more butter is needed to get a good coating of butter on all the batons, add the last 2 tablespoons of butter.
Reduce the heat to medium and gently sauté the celery, tossing and turning it occasionally in the butter, until it is just tender. The tip of a knife should just slip in without much resistance.
Add the reserved celery leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cook just to warm the leaves, and serve.
Chef’s Notes and Tips:
The butter is the only element adding flavor besides the celery, so use good quality butter, and the same should be said for the celery. If your celery is old and pithy in the center, there is nowhere for it to hide, so use fresh celery and trim away the ends with the bitter white centers. If you wish to play with the dish, you could sauté a few tablespoons of onions first-just cook them until they are translucent but do not brown them or their flavor will dominate the dish. You could try adding a little fresh lovage to the dish for seasoning if you have some. This is what I call “layering” flavors as lovage is similar to celery in taste. A touch of white wine could be used, adding it to the butter and reducing it until almost dry before adding the celery. Just remember, this dish is best left simple.
Serves: 4-6
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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