Tell me how to peel celery and should it be done at all? I love to add to vegetable salads grated root. The other day a neighbor came to visit, I was just preparing a salad. So she says that the skin does not need to be trimmed, it contains "the most vitamins." Wash well enough. Is it true?
Not everyone likes the specific smell of celery, but you should not exclude it from your diet. This root crop is a real storehouse of vitamins, and nutritionists consider its juice especially useful. However, other parts of the plant are useful in the kitchen. Leaves can be used for preservation or in salads. And odorous rounded root crops will add piquant astringency to salads and richness to broth. If you decide to try this vegetable, it does not hurt to know some of the nuances of how to peel celery, because it happens different types. Depending on this, the preparation of the vegetable for consumption also differs.
So, according to what part of the plant is intended for use as food, there are three varieties of celery:
- sheet;
- petiolate;
- root.
Now let's look at the features of cleaning each type.
Plucked, washed, eaten - minimal preparation of leaf celery
The easiest and fastest way to clean leafy varieties. Here it is enough just to rinse the foliage well and let it dry. The only thing that may be needed is to select yellowed and sluggish leaves, if any. However, when buying freshly cut celery, there will be no such problems.
Do I need to peel the petiole celery?
Some housewives, having tasted juicy thick petioles for the first time, refuse them. The reason for this they call excessive fibrousness and stiffness of the stems. In fact, this is indeed possible, but for a completely different reason - if old petioles are caught. It is they who are covered with coarsened fibers on top, which must be cut with a knife. But the internal fibers remain moderately rigid and almost not felt, while maintaining the characteristic structure of celery.
But young petioles can be consumed without additional cleaning, simply by washing them.
How to clean celery root?
The roots of this celery are somewhat reminiscent of beets, only whitish in color and with an uneven surface covered with tubercles. They can be of impressive size. When buying, it is better to choose those fruits whose skin is smoother - it will be easier to peel them, and there will be less waste of valuable aromatic pulp.
You need to clean it in any case, young or old, small or large. Firstly, it is the peel that absorbs nitrates, and secondly, the spongy top of the fruit does not taste good and must be cut off and discarded.
Before cleaning, the root crops should be washed, then cut off the lower and upper parts. All growths and depressions are also cut out, and the fruit itself is peeled like a potato. If it is too large and will not be used completely immediately, you can cut off and clean half. The second part of celery is placed in a bag and stored in the refrigerator. By the way, celery can lie there for a very long time - it practically does not deteriorate and remains solid. The only thing is that the place of the cut darkens, and in the future it will need to be thinly trimmed.
Video on how to quickly peel a celery root
Due to its specific aroma and spicy taste celery is not very popular among our compatriots, so it is not surprising that many do not even know how to peel celery, and does it make sense to do this at all, or is it allowed to eat unpeeled petioles and root crops?
1 How to properly prepare celery roots for eating
If, after familiarizing yourself with useful properties celery root, you decide to include it in your diet, it will not be superfluous to immediately learn how to properly clean celery so as not to spoil the first impressions of this amazing vegetable plant. Indeed, with the right approach, celery can become your indispensable assistant in the kitchen: soups with the addition of roots become richer and more aromatic, grated fresh root crops give salads a tart taste, petioles go well in salads with seafood and make vegetable stew tastier. In addition, celery makes wonderful freshly squeezed juice, healing properties which are extremely high!
With celery greens, questions usually do not arise - it is enough to rinse it under the tap and finely chop it to add to soups, main dishes, sauces, salads, or decorate cooked dishes with openwork leaves. But how to clean the root and petiole celery, we will take a closer look.
Proper cleaning of celery
So, for the first time you are holding a large, scary-looking, knotty celery root crop in your hands and do not know which side to approach it from? In fact, there are no special tricks on how to peel celery. But to make it easier for yourself, try to choose root crops in the store that are firm, less knotty, with a smooth skin. In terms of weight, they can seem quite heavy for their size. The greens remaining at the top should be green, and not yellowed and withered. Such root crops will be much easier to clean, and there will be less waste when cleaning.
photography of celery
It should be noted right away that it is necessary to clean the root crops; only completely peeled, well-washed roots are added to the dishes.
How to peel celery roots:
- first of all, the root crop should be thoroughly washed, and then cut off the top of the root and its lower part with a knife;
- celery roots are quite large - you can cook one dish with halves or quarters of one root, so cut the root for convenience into required amount parts and put in the refrigerator those that are not yet needed;
- from those parts that you are immediately going to use for food, carefully remove the skin with a sharp thin knife or a vegetable peeler;
- scrape out all the notches and cut out doubtful places on the white pulp;
- spongy parts have no taste, so they can also be cut immediately;
- now it remains to rinse the peeled parts of the root crop and use it at your discretion: grate, chop small cubes, large pieces, straws, plates, etc.;
- pour the cut pieces cold water so they don't darken.
photo of celery
If you plan to eat celery root for weight loss, you should not cut out the spongy parts - they are rough alimentary fiber, for the processing of which the body spends a lot of energy.
Rough, knotty root crops will be easier to clean by cutting them into small pieces.
2 Petiole celery - is it worth it to peel, and how best to do it
Contradictory opinions can be heard about celery stalks: some argue that the stalks must be cleaned before eating, others are limited only to washing the stalks in running water, without bothering to clean the stalks. So after all, do you need to peel celery?
About peeling celery stalks
It all depends on what petioles you come across in the store. For example, in young stems growing inside the bundle, the fibers are not felt at all, but the old petioles may turn out to be tough and fibrous - they will not be so tasty to eat without preliminary cleaning. Therefore, you should carefully choose petiole celery in the store: the plants should have fresh, bright green leaves and straight stems, but if some leaves and petioles are missing, this may mean that the celery is stale. It is best to buy unwashed celery if possible, because it tastes better than stalks washed before selling.
Photo of celery
Before peeling celery stalks, rinse them under the tap. warm water. After that, you should carefully remove the fibers and hard veins from the surface of the petioles with a sharply sharpened knife or vegetable peeler.
Fragrant spicy roots and celery stalks are becoming an increasingly popular addition to dishes on our tables. The plant adds a savory flavor to salads and meat recipes, enriches the dish with fiber, and also carries a lot of vitamins and components useful for the body.
Celery has not been familiar to many since childhood, so often even those people who love food experiments and boldly buy an intricate plant do not know how to process it. There are different opinions about whether celery should be peeled. It is necessary to build on considerations of the digestibility of the product.
How to Process Celery Greens Before Eating
The celery plant can be roughly divided into three components that are eaten in different ways. Fresh greens, which have a harsh ethereal aroma, are added to salads and sauces, and meat and vegetables are also decorated with leaves. vegetable dishes. To do this, it is enough to rinse the greens under water, select wilted and yellowed leaves - and send them to the dish whole or finely chopped.
Chopped greens will give up their juice faster, so the dish will quickly be saturated with the aroma of grass. Whole leaves will release their spiciness when chewed. Therefore, choose the method of introduction to the dish, depending on the goals. Chopped celery greens are usually used for sauces and marinades.
How to clean celery stalks
Celery stalks are a juicy vegetable formation. They are pleasant to use, both raw and after heat treatment. Celery is cut into julienne or cubes to be used in salads, soups, vegetable stew, casseroles and side dishes. And before you add the plant to the dish, it will need to be processed.First of all, the cuttings are washed from dust and solutions that could refresh celery in the store. You can immediately divide the stems one at a time, so that it is more convenient to work with the vegetable. After washing, you need to cut off the dried parts along the edges, and also remove sinewy inclusions and films from the surface of the vegetable. They are not dangerous for the body, but they can be bitter, and eating and digesting this part of the vegetable can be unpleasant.
The stiffness of the skin on celery stalks can depend on the degree of “ripeness” of the product, as well as on its location in the bundle. The cuttings on the inside will be more tender than the outside and may not need to be processed. Young plants are covered with a thin film, which may not be peeled off, but overgrown stems acquire a tougher protection.
To remove the film, it is enough to pry a convex vein from the edge with a knife and pull so that the film peels off. You can also use a potato peeler or "housekeeper" to quickly remove the stratum corneum from the surface of the stems. After cleaning, the taste of the stems will be soft and refined.
Celery roots are recommended to be cleaned in without fail. The rough skin covering the root is not actually digested, has no juice, and also collects all the dirt. If you have a celery root in front of you, you need to wash it in warm water and then clean.
To make it easier for yourself with cleaning, even in the store, try to choose a smoother vegetable with a thin, delicate bark. Such a root will be younger, and its taste qualities better. At the edge of the root will be the remains of green stems. In this part, you can understand how long ago you prepared the product for sale. Celery roots do not spoil, but if you have a choice, take a vegetable with fresh green leftovers.
The peel from the celery can be cut with a knife or potato peeler - thinly and accurately. If you need a small part of the spicy root, you can immediately divide the vegetable into 2-4 parts. Those that you do not need for cooking urgently should be stored in the refrigerator in a “dressed” form, then the root will remain juicy longer, and its beneficial and taste properties will be preserved until the next use. The same part that you need for the dish will be much easier to clean when the “edge” appears after cutting.
The peel must be cut to the thickness that becomes visible at the cut root - everything that is not juicy pulp is removed. In these parts there is no aroma and useful microcomponents. The only exceptions are cases with diet food. If you value so-called products with negative calorie- that is, those that take more energy to digest than come from them, you will need a spongy layer. It is rich in fiber, will help cleanse the intestines and will be digested for a long time. delicious juice it doesn't. But for people with a sensitive stomach, it is better not to cook this part.
After cutting the peel and the “cork”, you need to clean all the recesses from dark spots, dry places and possible damage. After that, the vegetable can be rinsed under water and used as food. Celery root has a very pronounced spicy aroma and harsh juice, so it should be added to food carefully little by little. Better give it up heat treatment, then the harsh aftertaste will turn into a soft nutty aroma.celery root tinder on coarse grater shavings for salads and stewing, and for sauces, a fine grater or blender is used so that the rhizome gives its fragrant juice to the base components. For side dishes, you can cut the root into thin slices. This product is not chopped into cubes and other large parts, because it is very tough and has a pronounced smell. In small quantities, the aroma of celery subtly fills the dish, adding noble volumetric flavor notes to it.
The root is not stewed for very long, until it becomes soft in texture and acquires a light brown nutty hue.
For proper storage Incised celery roots have a cooking secret: if you fill the pulp with water, the fruit will not darken. Do not store open roots in the refrigerator for a long time. Like other vegetables, such a product will dry out, wither and lose its beneficial nutritional properties.
Video: how to peel celery
celery fragrant - spicy vegetable who came from the countries of the Mediterranean. The content of vitamins and beneficial trace elements occupies one of the leading positions among vegetables. Due to the high content of essential oils, it gives dishes and salads a specific bright aroma. All parts of the plant are eaten both raw and processed. And in this article we will analyze the types of celery and how it should be properly cleaned.
Fragrant celery– biennial herbaceous plant, By appearance leaves are very reminiscent of parsley, only much more massive. In the first year, the plant forms a powerful rosette of dark green leaves with a beautiful gloss, fleshy cuttings and a strong white root or even a root crop. In the second year, green leaves appear in early spring, and by mid-July the plant is already blooming, in August the seeds ripen and the celery dries almost immediately.
The appearance of celery depends on the variety to which it belongs: leaf, petiole, root.
Leaf celery is grown for fragrant greens., saturated big amount vitamins. They are used for food in fresh, in salads, as a seasoning for soups and other dishes.
This type of green has thin stems and a tough root, both of which are not suitable for eating.
Petiole celery is cultivated to produce petioles and leaves. Petioles reach a width of 4-5 cm, very juicy, oily, contain a large number of essential oils, vitamins, useful minerals. From them prepare the first and second courses, dietary low calorie salads, added to pickles and preserves to give a spicy, bright aroma and good taste.
grown solely for the root crop, similar to a large white beet and reaching from 500 to 900 grams of weight. Root crop - a real storehouse of vitamins, has a beneficial effect on the human body. It is used both fresh and in salads and hot dishes.
Leaf and petiole species are sown directly into the soil in early spring or winter, and the root species are planted in seedlings.
Useful and harmful properties of stems and roots
The stem celery is the most valuable product nutrition and has amazing medicinal properties. All useful qualities vegetables would have to be listed too long, but the most basic are: beneficial effect on the nervous, cardiovascular, digestive systems.
IN healthy vegetable contains a large amount of proteins, B vitamins, carotene, vitamins E, K, C, valuable amino acids - nicotinic, asparagine, tyrosine, essential oils, trace elements - potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese.
Celery has the following effects on the human body:
- slows down the aging process, helps fight senile dementia;
- contributes to the restoration of water-salt balance;
- essential oils relieve nervous tension, increase efficiency, vitality, resistance to stress;
- has a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels, thereby restoring blood circulation and normalizing high blood pressure;
- thanks to high content vital minerals, vitamins B, PP, E, C positively affects the condition of the skin, hair, lips and eyes;
- the root vegetable has a diuretic effect, daily use cleanses the kidneys and urinary canals;
- salads from raw vegetables with the addition of grated root must be consumed during diets, patients diabetes, vegetarians;
- regular consumption of celery greens relieves heartburn, flatulence, constipation, stomach cramps, as it promotes the digestion of food and removes toxins from the body.
Different parts of celery close-up on the table This is far from all the miracle vegetable.
But so powerful remedy cannot be equally useful for everyone, therefore there are contraindications:
- at urolithiasis to avoid the movement of stones and exacerbation of the disease;
- with varicose veins, the presence of blood clots;
- due to the high content of essential oils, it is not recommended during pregnancy and lactation, with colitis and enterocolitis.
How to eat a stem vegetable
All parts of the plant are equally useful and edible. But since most of the essential compounds, vitamins and trace elements are destroyed during heat treatment, celery is eaten raw, pre-peeled. Young green leaves - as a seasoning for salads, fish and meat dishes.
The root crop is peeled, and the grated juicy white pulp is added to fruit, vegetable and even meat salads.
How to clean petioles
Juicy, crispy, fragrant pulp of petioles is an excellent ingredient for salads, appetizers, sauces. But not many people know that in order to fully enjoy the taste and aroma of green stems, they must be thoroughly cleaned.
The upper layer of the petioles consists of hard long fibers that make it difficult to chew the vegetable.. Therefore, before eating, slicing into salads, etc. you need to cut off the top layer with a regular or economy knife.
If there are no fibers when breaking the stem, then you can start chopping or cutting the vegetable.
Proper cooking methods
Dishes from petioles and celery root may not be so saturated with vitamins and fiber, but they will certainly have spicy taste and aroma. The vegetable is used to make soups, vegetable stews, side dishes, as a filler or additive to sauces. It can be boiled, stewed or fried in sunflower or olive oil.
Without a doubt, celery is exactly the vegetable that should be constantly on our table in any form. Such useful product cannot be excluded from the diet. According to nutritionists, daily use of the product will positive influence for the whole body, work internal organs condition of hair, nails and skin.
Unfortunately, the healthy and flavorful celery is not as commonly used in cooking as other vegetables. For this reason, the housewives, who nevertheless decide to introduce it into the diet, do not even know how to peel celery. The approach you take depends on the type of product you are using and the condition it was in at the time of purchase. The quality of processing affects the final taste and aroma of the product, so you need to treat the cleaning procedure with increased attention.
Types of celery and the rules for its selection
Many mistakenly believe that only one type of celery is sold in stores, it is simply divided into several parts. In fact, you need to understand that there is not one type of celery, but three. And in the process of choosing each of them, you should pay attention to specific points:
- Sheet. The green leaves of this species are saturated essential oils which are very beneficial for the body. A product with an undeveloped root crop is usually used for salads and soups. When choosing a product, you need to pay attention to the brightness and color saturation of the leaves, their freshness and elasticity. They should exude a persistent pleasant aroma.
Tip: You should not buy pre-peeled and even washed celery, regardless of its type. The processed component deteriorates faster and loses its pronounced aroma in just a few hours.
- Stem (petiole). In this type of vegetable, the root crop is also poorly developed, but the plant has powerful fleshy stems, the diameter of which can reach 4 cm in diameter. They prepare stews and salads, extract Fresh Juice. Quality fresh stems should be literally soaked in juice. When they break, a crunch will be heard. Components covered with scratches, cracks and brown stains should not be purchased.
- Root. This type celery is represented by a massive root crop, which can reach 20 cm in diameter. The pulp has a bitter-sweet taste. It is usually dried and added to soups or salads. Eatenable celery will be firm with no dents on the surface when pressed. Do not take a root crop covered with knots. The fresh product is smooth, with small green leaves on top.
In all cases listed, you need to make sure that the vegetable has not sprouted. The presence of an "umbrella" with seeds indicates that there is a risk of acquiring a very bitter and almost inedible product.
How to clean leaf and stem celery?
The leafy appearance of the vegetable does not need pre-cleaning at all. It only needs to be removed from the stem, rinsed under running water, shake off excess moisture and dry a little on a towel or board. After that, the products can be crushed or used as a whole. They are added to first courses, salads, dried for further use.
Celery stalks are subject to more thorough processing. Be sure to cut off at least 3 cm of the lower part of the product, remove the upper shoots. Next, we act depending on the age of the celery. If it is very young and covered with the thinnest skin without signs of wrinkling and brown streaks, it is not necessary to remove it. It is enough to rinse the product under hot running water, dry it and can be used for its intended purpose. If the product is already slightly aged and covered with a thick film, it should be removed. To do this, you can use a knife, but it is much more convenient to use a vegetable peeler.
Features of processing root celery
With this plant, housewives have problems most often. Given the fact that it grows in the ground, you first need to get rid of the traces of the earth on the surface of the formation. This is one of the reasons why it is better to get a smooth root rather than a knotted one. It is much easier to clean it, and it is easier to cut the skin.
The product cleaning process is as follows:
- Take a large knife and use it to cut off the skin from the top and bottom of the fruit.
- Cut off as much root as you need to prepare the planned dish. The rest we put in the refrigerator. Packages and cling film it may not be used. They will not extend the shelf life.
- From the prepared piece with a knife or vegetable peeler, cut off the skin and spoiled places. Even dots should not remain on the pulp, we achieve its purity and uniformity.
- Particular attention should be paid to the structure of the root crop. It can be divided into spongy and main parts. The first consists of fibers that help cleanse the body, but it is absolutely tasteless. It is used to make soups and infusions during the detox period. The second one saturates dishes with vitamins and aroma, which is why it is most often used in cooking.
- Now we wash the pulp again under cool water, cut it as needed according to the recipe. In general, the smaller the pieces, the more useful substances gets into the finished dish.
- If the workpiece will not be used immediately, it must be filled with cold water. Otherwise, after a few minutes, it will begin to darken like potatoes.
Many people know how useful celery is, and how its introduction into the diet will affect the state of the body. Unfortunately, this knowledge very rarely encourages the use of a component in the process of preparing familiar dishes. This is usually due to a lack of skills in the field pre-treatment products. Violation of the rules for choosing and cleaning celery leads to the fact that it gives the finished compositions an unpleasant bitterness or too strong aroma.
