Content
Celery is used in cooking as often as parsley or dill. Its leaves and stems contain vitamins and essential oils that the body needs. However, the plant has not gained popularity among housewives, so not everyone knows whether celery needs to be peeled before use. Everything is clear with the leaves of greenery, but what to do with the stems is not entirely clear.
Do I need to peel celery?
Opinions differ on this matter. Some chefs advise eating unpeeled vegetables, while others insist that the stems must be peeled. Oddly enough, everyone is right. It depends on what kind of celery you purchased.
Do I need to peel stalk celery before eating?
Stem or root celery is famous for its root vegetable, which is eaten. The stems and leaves of such celery are not eaten. Root vegetables need to be peeled before eating. It is used to prepare soups, fresh salads and other dishes.
To make it easier to clean the root, you need to choose it correctly:
- the root crop must be large;
- the skin is smooth;
- nodes – minimum number;
- the leaves are green at the top.
This is the kind of plant that can be cleaned with a minimum amount of waste.
Do I need to peel stalked celery?
Petiole celery needs to be peeled if it is old. The fibers of such a plant are tough and not so pleasant to eat. But the young shoots are not cleaned; it is enough to rinse them under running water and they can already be eaten.
When choosing petiole celery, you need to pay attention to the shoots, which should be bright green, juicy, crispy, and without visible damage. If the base is already missing several leaves, and the shoots have a brownish tint, then the greens are stale. It is better to refuse such a purchase. After all, it is the petioles that contain the necessary essential oils.
How to peel celery
Each type of celery has its own cleaning methods. Therefore, you first need to determine which part will be eaten.
How to peel stalk celery
In this type of vegetable, the thickened lower part of the stem or modified root is used for food. Before preparing the salad, stem celery must be properly peeled:
- Carefully remove any remaining soil from the root, then rinse under running water.
- Cut off the top and bottom parts of the root vegetable with a knife.
- Divide the vegetable into several parts, peel only the desired piece, and put the rest in the refrigerator.
- Peel the skin using a special knife or vegetable peeler.
- Cut out any damaged areas or dark spots. After peeling, only white pulp should remain.
- Rinse the peeled root under the tap, then fill it with water so that it does not darken.
After cleaning, the coarse part of the pulp is used to prepare soups or broths. It contains a lot of fibers that are good at removing toxins and waste from the body, but have no taste. For cooking, the soft part is cut into cubes, strips, slices or grated.
How to peel stalked celery
Peeling stalked celery is easy. To do this, you will need a regular paring knife.
Instructions for peeling celery stalks before eating:
- Separate the bunch into individual petioles.
- Rinse the greens well under the tap in warm water.
- Cut off the lower part of the shoot, which held the petioles together by 2 cm.
- Peel the top of the shoot with a vegetable peeler, along with any coarse fibers and veins.
After cleaning, the petioles are cut into cubes or strips. They are used to prepare fresh dietary dishes, pickles, and marinades. The delicate petioles give food an aroma and spicy taste.
How to Peel Leaf Celery
The most flavorful type is leaf celery. Its tender greens are rich in vitamins and microelements. The petioles and tubers of this variety are unsuitable for food, as they are coarse and thin. Greens have a sharp ethereal aroma.
How to peel celery leaves:
- Cut off all petioles and roots.
- Remove dry, yellow or limp leaves.
- Wash the greens thoroughly and chop them with a sharp knife.
Greens are used to prepare sauces, decorate salads or other dishes.
When choosing leaf celery, you need to pay attention to its appearance. Greens should be juicy, elastic, aromatic.If the leaves in a bunch are limp, then they have been lying there for a long time.
Useful tips and tricks
Properly peeling stalk celery is not enough to enjoy its taste; you need to know how to cook the vegetable. The root is simmered until tender, covered, until it becomes soft. The color of the finished vegetable changes from white to a light cream shade.
You can store the peeled and cut into pieces root for a short time in the refrigerator. Like all products, the pulp loses its beneficial properties, fades and becomes weathered. Vegetables cannot be kept in a bag; this does not increase the shelf life.
The freshness of petiole celery lasts for about a week. Store it in the refrigerator, well wrapped in foil. This species is most valuable when it is fresh. After heat treatment, most of the useful components disappear.
However, not everyone can eat celery. The vegetable is prohibited if the following pathologies are present:
- stomach or duodenal ulcer;
- gastritis in the acute stage;
- phlebeurysm;
- urolithiasis disease;
- risk of thrombophlebitis.
In addition, the product is strictly contraindicated for pregnant women and nursing mothers, since its effect on the fetus has not been studied.
Nutritionists recommend consuming no more than 150 g of celery per day so as not to harm the body. If you follow these tips, the vegetable will only bring benefits:
- The aging process of cells slows down.
- The water-salt balance in the body is restored.
- Blood pressure normalizes and blood flow improves.
- Brain activity increases and irritability decreases.
- The immune system is strengthened, which is important during the cold season.
- Resistance to stress appears.
- The kidneys and ureters are cleansed.
- Blood sugar levels decrease.
- Stool normalizes and constipation disappears.
- Heartburn goes away.
- Weight is normalized.
- Vision improves.
Among other things, the body is saturated with vitamins and minerals. So eating greens in moderation will not harm your health.
How long can celery be stored and how to prepare it for the winter
A healthy vegetable can not always be found on store shelves, especially in small towns. Therefore, it is useful to learn how to prepare it for long-term storage.
To store the root crop, it must be cleaned as follows:
- the leaves are cut off, leaving only small petioles;
- sand is poured into the box, the root crops are placed with the petioles facing up;
- Store celery in a basement or cold room.
You can save the root vegetable in dried form. To do this, you need to clean it, chop it into strips and dry it. Then place in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid.
Celery greens wither very quickly, so it is better to dry them and use them for their intended purpose at any time of the year. To do this, the leaves are prepared, laid out on paper and dried for a month. Dried herbs should be stored in paper bags.
You can preserve petiole celery by freezing it. Peel the shoots, chop and place in 1 layer on a cutting board. After this, place in the freezer. When the pieces are frozen, they are poured into a plastic storage container or bag. Use the workpiece without prior defrosting.
Conclusion
Peeling and cooking celery is a snap.The vegetable deserves attention, as it is rich in vitamins and other beneficial substances. Plus, it's easy to save. Celery can be dried, frozen, or stored fresh.