It’s winter so I find myself eating more soups and stews. They can be so good on a cold day.
But IMO celery tastes horrible and only subtracts from the flavor of soup by covering up other flavors. Why is it such a common ingredient? Do people actually like enjoy or is it serving some other purpose?
(Yes I avoid it in other foods too. Not to go off topic but water chestnuts are a fantastic substitute if you like the crunch. Try them instead of celery next time you make stuffing.)
Celery is part of the mirepoix trinity. Celery, carrots and onions , cooked low and slow in fat before adding to soup. It makes a sweet and savoury vegetable soup base.
Or the Holy Trinity of Cajun and creole cooking, celery, onions, and bell pepper.
What a day to be alive! A person called StinkyFingerItchyBum has just taught me about mirepoix. I’m disgusted, enlightened, and grateful. Thank you!
But why celery and not some other vegetable? Because it’s cheap?
No, because it has a delightful flavour for soups. Eating celery is blah, but in soups its magic. My memory is failing me, but I could have sworn celery was a source of glutamate.
The glutamine wiki says celery is a source.
it’s a source of nitrates.