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 to peel celery before use. Everything is clear with the leaves of greenery, but what to do with the stems is not completely clear.
Do I need to peel celery
Opinions differ on this. Some culinary experts advise eating an unpeeled vegetable, others insist that the stems must be peeled. Oddly enough, but everyone is right. It depends on which celery was purchased.
Do I need to peel celery stalk before eating
Stem or root celery is famous for its eaten root vegetable. The stalks and leaves of such celery are not eaten. The root crop must be peeled before eating. It is used for making 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 - the minimum number;
- the leaves are green at the top.
It is such a plant that can be cleaned with a minimum amount of waste.
Do I need to peel stalked celery
Peeled celery should be peeled if it is old. The fibers of such a plant are tough and not so pleasant to eat. But young shoots are not cleaned, it is enough to rinse them under running water and can already be eaten.
When choosing stalked celery, you need to pay attention to the shoots, which should be bright green, juicy, crunchy, without visible damage. If the warp already lacks a few leaves, and the shoots are brownish, then the greens are stale. It is better to refuse such a purchase. After all, it is in the petioles that the necessary essential oils are contained.
How to peel celery
There are different cleaning methods for each type of celery. Therefore, you first need to determine which part will be eaten.
How to peel celery stalk
In this type of vegetable, the thickened lower part of the stem or modified root is used for food. Before preparing the stalk celery salad, you need to properly peel:
- Thoroughly remove residual soil from the root, then rinse in running water.
- Cut off the top and bottom of the root crop with a knife.
- Divide the vegetable into several parts, peel only the desired piece, put the rest in the refrigerator.
- Peel the skin with a special knife or vegetable cutter.
- Cut out any stains or dark spots. After cleaning, only white flesh 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 make soups or broths. It contains a lot of fibers, which are good at removing toxins, toxins from the body, but have no taste. For cooking, cut the soft part into cubes, strips, slices or grate.
How to peel stalked celery
Peeling stalked celery is easy. To do this, you need a regular vegetable peeler.
Instructions on how to peel celery stalks before eating:
- Disassemble the bundle into separate petioles.
- Rinse the herbs well under the tap in warm water.
- Cut off the lower part of the shoot, which held the petioles together by 2 cm.
- Clean the top of the shoot with a vegetable peeler along with coarse fibers and veins.
After peeling, the petioles are cut into cubes or strips. They are used to prepare fresh dietary meals, pickles, marinades. Delicate stalks add aroma and spice to food.
How to peel leafy celery
The most fragrant species is leafy celery. Its delicate greens are rich in vitamins and minerals. In this variety, the petioles and tuber are unsuitable for food, as they are coarse and thin. Greens have a pungent, ethereal aroma.
How to peel celery leaves:
- Cut off all petioles and roots.
- Remove dry, yellow, or limp leaves.
- Rinse the greens thoroughly and chop with a sharp knife.
Use greens to make sauces, garnish salads or other dishes.
When choosing leafy celery, you need to pay attention to the appearance. Greens should be juicy, firm, aromatic. If the leaves in the bunch are sluggish, then they lie for a long time.
Helpful hints and tips
Peeling stalk celery properly is not enough to enjoy its flavor; you need to know how to cook the vegetable. The root is stewed 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 chopped root in the refrigerator for a short time. Like all products, the pulp loses its beneficial properties, withers and weathered. You cannot keep a vegetable in a bag, this does not increase the shelf life.
The freshness of stalked 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 volatilize.
However, not everyone can eat celery. A vegetable is prohibited if there are the following pathologies:
- a stomach or duodenal ulcer;
- gastritis in the acute stage;
- phlebeurysm;
- urolithiasis disease;
- risk of thrombophlebitis.
In addition, the product is strictly contraindicated in 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, then the vegetable will only benefit:
- The aging process of cells slows down.
- The water-salt balance in the body is restored.
- Pressure is normalized, blood flow improves.
- Brain activity increases, irritability decreases.
- Immunity is strengthened, which is important in the season of colds.
- Resistance to stress appears.
- The kidneys and ureters are cleansed.
- Reduces blood sugar levels.
- Stool normalizes, constipation disappears.
- Heartburn passes.
- Weight is normalized.
- Eyesight improves.
Among other things, the body is saturated with vitamins and minerals. So eating greens in moderation will not hurt your health.
How long does celery last 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 know how to prepare it for long-term storage.
To store the root crop, it must be cleaned as follows:
- the leaves are cut, leaving only small petioles;
- sand is poured into the box, the roots are set with the stalks up;
- store celery in a basement or cold room.
You can keep the root vegetable dried. To do this, it must be cleaned, chopped into strips and dried.Then put in a glass dish with a tight-fitting lid.
Celery greens wilt very quickly, so it is better to dry them and use them as intended at any time of the year. For this, the leaves are prepared, laid out on paper and dried for a month. Store dried herbs in paper bags.
You can save stalked celery by freezing. Peel, chop and arrange the shoots in 1 layer on a cutting board. Then 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 useful substances. Plus, it's easy to keep it. Celery can be dried, frozen, kept fresh.
