Recipes and Storage Tips
Bulbs and Stems

Celery

The flavorful celery we grow is more compact and not as watery as the larger celery you might be used to (which is typically grown in California). It's great for snacking or for cooking. Use it the same way you would use any other celery! Make it the star of a fresh salad — loosely chop or tear the leaves, thinly slice the stalks, and toss with whatever herbs you have on hand and a lemony vinaigrette. It pairs beautifully with fennel, too, so you can try using them together in this Fennel and Celery Salad. Or try it in soups (like a fresh summer gazpacho!), tuna or chicken salad, or as a flavorful base in mirepoix.

Fennel

Fennel has a mild anise/licorice flavor, which is most prominent in the stalks of the plant, slightly less strong in the crunchy bulb, and even milder in the feathery fronds. The fennel bulb is crisp, bright, and a little sweet, and can be eaten raw or cooked. Thinly sliced fennel (use a mandoline if you have one) makes an excellent slaw or addition to a summer salad — an arugula and fennel salad with a little bit of shaved parm and this lemon vinaigrette is one of my favorites, or it also pairs well with citrus, olives, or apples. Or chop it finely and use it instead of or in combination with celery, maybe in a chicken or tuna salad. You can also grill, sauté, or roast the fennel bulb, which brings out the sweetness (cut it into wedges, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400°F for ~30 minutes).

The delicate fronds, which look a bit like dill, can be used much the same way as their herby cousin — use them as a garnish, or add them to salads or soups at the end of cooking. The stalks are more fibrous than the rest of the plant, but when used in stocks or soups, they impart a beautiful flavor. The next time you're poaching or steaming fish, try adding the stalks to your poaching liquid!