Celery and Roquefort Salad
The fresh taste of chopped celery with salty and creamy blue cheese
Adapted from a recipe by Patricia Wells.
- Servings: 4 to 6.
This salad is always a huge favorite with my dinner guests plus it's quick to make using just one ingredient -- celery.
Small pieces of fresh celery are tossed with a simple vinaigrette into which a piece of Roquefort cheese has been crumbled. It's wonderful served alongside other salads, particularly other single-ingredient ones such as a tomato salad. The Roquefort has a rich, salty flavor so small portions are very satisfying and tasty next to a stack of greens dressed with just a little olive oil and salt.
Makes 4 to 6 servings, depending on whether the salad is being served solo or with other salads.
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch of celery. You can use either celery hearts or the long stalks with the leaves still attached. I prefer the long stalks because in these, the inner stalks are particularly tender and sweet, making a nice contrast with the crisper outer stalks.
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/4 c. crumbled Roquefort cheese (if you prefer to use another blue cheese, just try to use one that is creamy so that it will meld well into the dressing)
- Pepper
Directions
- Trim and wash the celery stalks and cut them all into small 1/2-inch slices and pieces. If you're cutting large pieces of celery, you may need to slice them in half the long way to get your final pieces to each be about 1/2" by 1/4". Your goal is symmetry so that you have a bowl of nicely cut pieces.
- In a small bowl combine the vinegars with several grinds of freshly ground pepper. Do not add salt because the cheese will have a salty flavor.
- Whisking with a fork, add the olive oil and canola oil. Stir until the oil mixes with the vinegar.
- Using a fork or your fingers, break the cheese into the vinegar and oil combination and stir to combine. It will turn a slightly gray color which may seem unappealing. Don't worry. When it's added to the celery this will disappear.
- Taste for balance of acid and oil and also for salt (although it's unlikely to need it).
- Pour over the bowl of celery pieces and stir or toss to combine.
The salad can be made several hours ahead of time and kept refrigerated until shortly before you're ready to serve. Toss just before serving.
