No. 2660

Celery Salad and Celery Knob Salad

Salade de Celeri et Salade de Celeri Rave

Remove the first stalks, which are generally hollow, and put the good ones into a bowl of cold water; cut each stalk into pieces one inch and a half long, then divide these pieces into lengths the same as a large Julienne; wash well, drain and dry them thoroughly; season with salt, pepper, mustard, oil and vinegar.

Celery Knob.—Choose these very tender, peel and cut them into thin round slices, set them in a bowl in layers, salting each one separately. One hour later pour off the water and season with oil, vinegar, ground pepper and mustard. Macerate for one hour in its seasoning, and then serve.

← No. 2659 Cabbage Salad—White or Red Vegetable Salads — Cooked & Raw No. 2661 Cucumber Salad, English Style →

For the Modern Kitchen

Two raw salads from the same entry: a julienne of celery stalks, and thin-sliced celeriac salted and left to macerate. Both are dressed with the same mustard vinaigrette, and both depend on managing water — drawing it out of the celeriac, keeping it in the celery.

Celery knob is celeriac"Celeri rave" is celeriac, the swollen root sold as celery root. Choose smaller, firm heads; large ones can go woody or hollow at the center. Peel deeply — the outer layer is fibrous and often grit-filled around the root scars.
The hinge: salt the celeriac, then drain itThe hour of salting is the whole point. It draws out water so the slices soften slightly and take the dressing instead of diluting it. Pour off the liquid that collects, as instructed, before adding oil and vinegar.
Slice thin enoughRaw celeriac is dense. "Thin round slices" means paper-thin — a mandoline or a steady hand on a sharp knife. Thick slices stay chalky no matter how long they macerate.
Keep peeled celeriac from browningCut surfaces discolor within minutes. Drop the slices into water with a squeeze of lemon while you work, then drain and dry before salting.
"A large Julienne"Matchsticks roughly 1/8 inch square, cut from the inch-and-a-half lengths — so batons, not shreds. Modern celery can be stringy on the outer ribs; run a peeler down the convex side or use the pale inner ribs.
The cold-water soak mattersThe cold-water soak -- The bowl of cold water likely does more than wash: time in cold water makes the cut celery snap. Either way, drain and dry it thoroughly or the vinaigrette will slide off.
MustardThe mustard is most plausibly a prepared mustard of the French type rather than the bright yellow American kind. About a teaspoon whisked into three tablespoons oil and one of vinegar dresses either salad; it also helps hold the emulsion together.
YieldOne head of celery or one medium celeriac gives four small side servings. Dress the celery just before serving; the celeriac is better after its hour and holds a few hours in the refrigerator.

A Little History

Charles Ranhofer, chef at Delmonico's in New York, published The Epicurean in 1894 as an encyclopedia of the French repertoire as it was actually cooked in an American luxury kitchen — hence the doubled French and English headings, and hence celeriac appearing under its market name of "celery knob." Raw celery root, salted and dressed, belongs to the same family of preparations as the céleri rémoulade later found at French charcuterie counters; Ranhofer's version uses oil and vinegar rather than mayonnaise. Celery itself was a prestige item in this period, grown blanched and pale, sold in tall cut-glass vases, and set on the table as much for display as for eating.