Celery Salad with Dried Fruit, Nuts and Parmesan

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Plan Z Phase: This is a Z3 (ZReboot) recipe. I had a hankering on a hot day for a crunchy salad. I don’t often crave celery, but I thought it might be different and hit the spot.

Servings:  Serves 4-6 people.

Well, of course I’m not the only one who every dreamed of a celery salad so I found all kinds of them and formulated my own, simple version. Turned out great.

This makes a great side dish to a grilled meat. I served mine with a pork chop.

Serves 4 – 6 depending on whether this will be the only side or if it will stand on its own. This can also be doubled for a party.

It’s a perfect mix of crunch, sweet, and salty.

Ingredients:

• One bunch of celery. (Approximately 8 stalks, give or take). Just wash and trim off the end. Then cut on a diagonal so you get those crazy ¼” slices that look like the letter V or U. Go ahead and include the little leaves in there. They make good salad bits too.
• ½ cup of roasted nuts. I used the premium ones that are cashew, pecans and macadamia nuts. Those are roasted in sea salt so they are healthier. You can do almonds too or any nut that sounds good. Pistachios or even peanuts would work.
• ½ cup of dried fruit bits. Find one or two that don’t have sugar on them. Check the label. I used dried cranberries and raisins. I also thought you could use things like dried apricots. You choose your fave.
• 2 Tbl of fresh lemon juice
• ¼ tsp of red pepper flakes (like the ones folks put on pizza). Or to taste. You can add as much zip as you want.
• Grated sea salt to taste. You won’t need a lot if you use salted, roasted nuts.
• Ground black pepper. Also just a bit because you are using the pepper flakes.
• 1/3 – ½ cup of shaved parmesan cheese.
• ¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil. (or you can use a dressing of your choice. My thought is a drizzle of Green Goddess would be good, or a Caesar or even a vinaigrette)
• Place the cut-up celery in a bowl of ice water. Let sit for 20 minutes. This will firm up the celery even more for crunch factor. When it’s done, drain it and then place on a kitchen town or paper towel to mostly dry.

Instructions:

While the celery is basking in the bowl you can make the other elements. Put the nuts, fruit, lemon juice, pepper flakes in a serving bowl. Stir and let sit. When the celery is ready add it and stir again. Now adjust sea salt and pepper and taste again. You want to make sure you get that perfect mix of sweet, salty and spicy YOU like.

Add the Parmesan cheese and the olive oil. Mix gently this time so you don’t smash up the Parmesan. You can always add more if you’d like.

If you are using a dressing you can skip the olive oil OR use the olive oil and still drizzle a little dressing on it when you serve.

Serve chilled or room temperature.

It keeps for a few days in the fridge if covered.

Enjoy!

Cheers,