For years I have wanted to try a celery salad. I know I could have tried one moons ago, but sometimes you just need a little impetus to get you off your duff. And the inducement to try one now came from my need for a refreshing salad to serve with the French meal I am going to prepare for this Sunday’s JazzVox concert. My menu needed a tart or almost acidic tasting salad to counteract all the richness from the other dishes I had planned. (In case you haven’t noticed, French food can be a bit rich.) I also needed something crisp and crunchy.

I found exactly what I needed when I stumbled onto Ina Garten’s recipe for this delightful salad. I played with it just a wee bit, but the bones of her recipe are still there! Even my dear husband, who normally might be expected to turn up his nose at any dish with celery as the main ingredient, was charmed by this salad.

So give this delightful recipe a try. It’s easy to prepare, the main ingredient is dirt cheap, (who doesn’t like that) and it’s really, really good.

• ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil (FYI: My go-to olive oil is Trader Joe’s Premium 100% Greek Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I use it for everything!)
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 2 T. + 1½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 T. minced shallots
• ½ tsp. celery seed
• ¼ tsp. celery salt
• ¼ tsp. anchovy paste
• ¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2½ c. thinly sliced celery hearts, tender leaves included, thinly sliced on a slight angle (about 6 stalks)
• 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ c. toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1 T. rough chopped Italian parsley

At least an hour before you plan to serve this salad, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, shallots, celery seed, celery salt, anchovy paste, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Place the celery in a mixing bowl and toss it with the remaining 1½ teaspoons lemon juice and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Add enough dressing to moisten well. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour to allow the flavors to develop.

When ready to serve, taste the salad. (If it needs a wee bit more salt, add a light sprinkle of course salt with the pepper when you are plating the dish.) Arrange the celery mixture in a shallow dish or plate, sprinkle with Parmesan, the toasted walnuts, parsley, salt (if needed), and pepper. Serve immediately.