Braised And Gratinéed Celery Stalks With Parmesan Food

BRAISED CELERY WITH PARMESAN

Steps:

• Peel the tough, fibrous layers from the outer celery ribs. Split the ribs lengthwise and cut into 2 to 3-inch long pieces. Chop 2 tablespoons of the celery leaves, save the rest for other uses¿they are great in salads.
• Put the celery, broth, olive oil, garlic, celery seeds, and thyme in a medium skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, and then adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Place a circle of parchment paper directly on the vegetables or set a lid slightly ajar on the skillet. Cook until the celery is tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a serving dish, and reduce the cooking liquid to a saucy glaze. Remove the thyme sprig, and pour the cooking liquid over the celery, sprinkle with the cheese, and serve.

BRAISED CELERY

Steps:

• Peel any of the fibrous outer stalks of celery with a vegetable peeler and slice into 1-inch pieces on the bias.
• Heat the butter in a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat. Once melted, add the celery, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes until just beginning to soften slightly. Add the beef broth and stir to combine. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the celery is tender but not mushy, approximately 5 minutes. Uncover and allow the celery to continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the liquid has been reduced to a glaze. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the reserved leaves.

BRAISED AND GRATINéED CELERY

Steps:

• Trim the tops of the celery and separate the stalks. Lightly peel the stalks to remove the strings. Cut the stalks into lengths of about 3 inches. Drop into 2 to 3 quarts of rapidly boiling water and, 2 minutes after the water returns to a boil, drain and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the onion in a saucepan with the butter and sauté over medium heat until translucent but not browned. Add the pancetta, stir and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the celery, a light sprinkling of salt and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes, turning the celery from time to time.
• Add the broth, cover the pan and cook at a gentle simmer until the celery is tender at the pricking of a fork.
• Arrange the cooked celery in a baking dish with the inner sides of the stalks facing up. Spoon the sautéed onion and pancetta over the celery, then add the grated cheese. Place the dish on the uppermost rack of the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese has formed a slight crust. Allow to settle for a few minutes, then serve.

BRAISED CELERY WITH THYME AND WHITE WINE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high, and heat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Prepare the celery: Separate the stalks, and reserve some celery leaves for garnish. Gently peel the outer layer of the thicker stalks to remove any tough strings. Cutting at a sharp angle, trim and discard the tips of the stalks, then cut stalks on an angle into 3-inch pieces. Add the celery segments to the boiling water, and cook just until slightly softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the blanched celery to a large 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish, and arrange in an even layer.
• Top with the stock, wine and olive oil. Add the shallots, bay leaves, thyme sprigs and garlic, tucking them between the celery layers, then sprinkle with the peppercorns, herbes de Provence and 1 teaspoon salt. Dot with the butter, then cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Transfer to the oven and bake until celery is tender and yielding, about 45 minutes, if you want it to retain slight bite, or 1 hour or more, if you prefer it extra-tender.
• Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the braised celery to a serving platter or shallow bowl and cover. Transfer the remaining liquid to a medium saucepan and boil over medium-high until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Pour the reduced sauce over the celery, straining, if desired, and sprinkle with fresh celery leaves and parsley. Serve warm.