VEGETABLES As an ingredient, celery represents versatility

Raw or cooked, this is one vegetable with many uses.
By JEANNE McMANUS
WASHINGTON POST
"Let's see," the bachelor said, as he opened the refrigerator door, looked past the six-pack of beer and rooted around for dinner. "What can I do with celery and milk?" -- the only two edible ingredients in his fridge.
We've all been there: We buy a bunch of celery, use two stalks of it in a recipe and then let the rest languish in the refrigerator's produce bin, which is a waste not just of money but of a versatile vegetable.
Green celery is the variety that we find in most American markets (as opposed to white celery, which is favored by Europeans). According to "The Visual Food Encyclopedia" (Macmillan, 1996), the celery we now enjoy was cultivated from wild celery in the 16th century. The experiment yielded two denizens of the produce aisles: celeriac (or celery root) and stalk celery.
Some celery is grown for its stalks (sometimes called ribs) and leaves, and some is allowed to stay in the ground, flower and go to seed. These seeds then wind up on our spice shelf, where they are used to flavor seafood, stuffings and potato salads.
Stalks are a common ingredient in many recipes for soups or stews that start with a saut & eacute; of minced onions, carrots and celery; but leaves are often discarded when instead they can be used to flavor those same soups and stews.
Or they can be minced finely and added with the stalks to chicken salads or torn up and used to embellish a simple mix of greens tossed with a vinaigrette.
Other tips
How to select: It's self-evident: Avoid brown, whether in the stalks or the leaves, and avoid any celery that looks limp or soft, as opposed to crisp.
How to store: If it has been wrapped by the grocer in perforated plastic, put it in the crisper drawer as is. If not, wrap it in a slightly damp paper towel and put it in the crisper or in a sealed container. You forgot about it and it's gone limp? No problem. Sprinkle it with water and refrigerate it. It will spring to life -- well, almost.
How to clean: Rinse thoroughly in cold water; you may have to apply a little pressure to the stalk ends to remove dirt. Trim off the tough ends of the stalks. Some cooks like to peel the tough, outer stalks, but in general, you can save those for the saut & eacute; pan, where they will soften, and use the inner stalks for recipes where the celery is raw.
How to use: It's so '50s, but a relish tray that includes olives, carrots and celery is a great low-fat way to start a meal and to curb your appetite. Another appetizer that's more fattening: cut the stalks into 4-inch lengths and spread the hollow with cream cheese that's been mixed with chives or dill and salmon.
Or make a salad: Toss thinly sliced celery stalks and some celery leaves with a lemony vinaigrette made with a touch of Dijon mustard and a little sugar, then add some walnuts.
Don't forget about cooking celery on its own, either: Blanch the tender inside stalks in water for a few minutes, then braise them in butter and a little chicken stock and white wine until tender.