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 | Celery is extremely common in Italy, but is used primarily as an herb, giving flavor to sauces and other dishes. It's not common as a vegetable, and this is a pity, because it is quite healthy, rich in fiber, and also low in calories. Moreover, both the Romans and the Greeks considered it to be quite aphrodisiac. Which it may be, and here it gets added zing from paprika. - 1/4 pound (100 g, or about 3/4 cup) cashews
- The ribs and leaves of a green celery plant
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- A clove of garlic, peeled and chopped or peeled and crushed, as you prefer
- A teaspoon of paprika, sweet or hot as you prefer
- Salt and pepper to taste
Begin by washing the celery and chopping the stalks into bit sized pieces; take about a half cup of, shred them, and set them aside, while chopping the remainder with the stalks.
Heat a skillet, preferably one that isn't treated with a non-stick surface, and toast the cashew nuts for about a minute, stirring them constantly lest they burn. Add a pinch of salt and the paprika, sir for a second or two more, and turn the seasoned nuts into a bowl.
Heat the olive oil in the skillet and add the garlic, as soon as it turns golden add the celery too. Stir, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes, stirring the celery about every now and again.
Stir the cashew nuts into the celery, check seasoning, and cook for a minute more. Garnish the dish with the reserved celery leaves and serve hot or warm. | |
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