Braised Celery with Black Olives

Has that celery in your fridge seen better days? Braise it to raise it from sad and forgotten to a simple and savory side dish!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb celery (4 stalks with leaves)

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

2 pinches red pepper flakes

1/4 cup pitted black kalamata olives

1/4 cup chicken broth

 

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the stringy bits from the celery stalks. Reserve the leaves then cut the celery diagonally into 3-4" pieces. Heat butter and oil in a pan on medium high and add the celery, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook about 4 minutes then add the garlic for 30 seconds. 

Add the broth, cover and reduce temperature to low for 5 minutes. Uncover, add the olives and cook on medium heat until liquid is reduced to lightly glaze the celery and olives, about 3-4 minutes.

Top with chopped celery leaves and serve with a roast or chops.

Serves 2

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Asian Pear and Celery Salad

This is such a simple salad, but you won't believe how good it is.

1/2 Asian pear
2 celery stalks with leaves
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely shredded
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsps white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp dry parsley

Cut the pear and celery into matchsticks.  Mix the rest of the ingredients and toss together.  Chill your salad.  It can be made hours ahead of time and you don't have to worry about the pear going brown. Asian pears don't seem to brown as easily as other pears do, and of course the lemon juice helps too.