Celery
Introduction
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The variety of celery that we sell has a green bunch and its stalks (delicate and flexible) and leaves (delicately chiselled) have a very distinctive spicy smell; its taste is peppery (but becomes bitter in large quantities).
This celery grows to 45 – 50 cm (24 -28 in) in height and is very leafy (when sold it is cut to 35 cm (14 in)).
This vegetable, that is often forgotten nowadays, possesses preventive and curative qualities. In order that the celery retains all of its medicinal properties, it is better to eat it raw or very quickly cooked.
You need to know:
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celery is a “negative calorie” food, which means that the calorific “cost” of digesting celery is greater than its calorific value (the same goes for lemons and pineapples for example),
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however, don’t eat more than 50-100g of celery per day,
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using celery for medicinal purposes is not recommended during pregnancy or for anyone with renal problems,
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celery is classed as an allergenic plant: anyone susceptible to oral allergy syndrome (allergic reation) should be careful,
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prolonged contact with the plant followed by exposure to the sun can cause skin problems. Cases of acute dermititis are often seen with farmers or workers from the processing industries.
Organzo: a strategic and authentic partnership between truck farmers and our agronomic services department, from seed to harvest.
We constantly suggest new varieties to improve product qualityand options for seeds that are less prone to ravagers, diseases and physiological disorders.
We walk through the producers’ fields every week looking at and inspecting the slightest defaults in plants, in order to delay any outbreak of ravagers and/or diseases by applying good agricultural practices, and when needed, by rationally using registered pesticides.
Selection and preservation
Select green leaves with pale green, fleshy stalks that must be shiny and breakable when fresh, the bunch of celery should be quite heavy.
In the fridge, the celery will last for three or four days in a well-closed plastic bag, as its flavour is strong and overpowering. If it has wilted a bit, moisten it and wrap it in paper towel or a damp cloth.
To conserve in the freezer, chop the celery finely or in segments and blanch them for a few minutes beforehand.
Cooking instructions
Peel your celery, rinse it, and keep the outer stalks (a bit more fibrous) for cooked dishes or soups (cooking softens the fibres). You can also remove the hardest fibres from the stalks in order to appreciate their delicate taste.
We can eat it raw in dips, vegetable salad or green salad, or in soups, broths, stews, couscous, stirfries, sauteed or in a gratin, braised in the oven in a meat sauce, steamed, in an omelette and more…