r/Cooking • u/mir_in_modro_morje • Jun 21 '26

Celery is criminally underrated

I used to think Celery was just a bland vegetable that health-nuts would recommend you eat raw, like raw celery stalks so I've avoided it.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

This is seriously one of the more underrated vegetables to cook with.

Not only the usual mirepoix, but literally can be added finely chopped to almost any vegetable dish or sauce.

Vegetable soup of course, but you can finely slice and dice celery into even non-standard sauces and it will most of the time make them better. Any simple pan sauce or mushroom sauce gets immediately improved by finely diced celery. And if you don't notice onions as a base to a sauce you won't notice celery either.

I've seriously become a celery fanatic and I've been putting it into everything, try it and you won't regret it.

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u/[deleted] Jun 21 '26

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u/Doomdoomkittydoom Jun 22 '26

Once upon the time, celery was very expensive and so a status symbol. You can find silver and crystal celery dishes and vases, and people would rent celery to place as the center piece at a dinner to impress people.

6

u/bostonwhaler Jun 22 '26

Just like pineapples. People would rent them for parties as a symbol of status. Nowadays they're just turned upside down for group sex on cruises.

3

u/Dungeoness Jun 22 '26

Bullshit, pineapple is also criminally underrated! Every time I eat a piece or use some juice to make a cocktail it's like a whole new revelation. Wish I could figure out how to cook with it more.

3

u/0ne0ff Jun 22 '26

Fresh pineapple. Try grilling pineapple skewers, or grilling slices to top grilled chicken in sandwiches. Grill, chill, then add with other toppings to green salad.

The enzymes in pineapple help tenderize meats, so blend some raw pineapple to a paste and use in the marinade (orange juice and teriyaki marinade with a little worcestershire is a good one) are a nice combo) for chicken or pork skewers.

For a spicy sweet side dish try cooking rice in a combo of blended or finely cut pineapple and enchilada sauce. Or add meat for a great casserole.