Celery Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette

Recipe by The View From the Great Island

If your first thought on reading the post title was meh, whatever, think again.   This is my favorite kind of recipe to share and my favorite way to eat.  Yes its spare, and you may not think of celery as delicious in its own right, but give it a chance.  Put yourself into a zen state of mind and quietly contemplate the slightly salty, herby celery, and the creamy bitter walnuts.  The flavors are mellow and sophisticated…the crunch is awesome.  You’re going to love the walnut vinaigrette — drizzle the extra over ripe pears for dessert.  In its own humble way, this recipe is a game changer. Celery is rarely given top billing in any recipe, so right away this is going to be a new experience.  The flavor is subtle but pleasing, and the inner leaves have as much flavor as any herb.   Look for a fresh head, without brown patches or wilted leaves.  I like to use organic celery when I can find it  Peel away the tougher outer stalks and save those for snacking with peanut butter.  You want the heart of the head for this salad.  (ok, that’s a little weird, but stay with me) …

Ingredients

• 1 head of celery
• walnut vinaigrette
• ¼ cup fresh walnuts, rough chopped, plus more for garnishing
• 3 tbsp walnut vinegar (or white wine, or champagne vinegar)
• walnut oil
• salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Method

1. Rinse the celery well and remove the tough outer stalks. Cut off the root end but keep the whole head together.
2. Thinly slice the head of celery, cutting on the diagonal. Use a sharp knife to get clean cuts.
3. To make the dressing, put 1/4 cup of the nuts in a small 4-cup food processor. Process them until finely ground, you will have to scrape down the sides once or twice.
4. Add the vinegar and process again. Then, while the machine is running, drizzle in the oil until you have an emulsion. Stop the machine and taste as you go until you get a balance of acidity that appeals to you.
5. Add salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
6. Toss the celery with enough dressing to coat lightly, and then put in the refrigerator for an hour or so.
7. When ready to serve, top the salad more rough chopped walnuts and more dressing.

View the recipe instructions at The View From the Great Island