Celery Salad with Pine Nuts, Arugula, Feta, and Pita
Let’s admit it: Celery isn’t the most appealing vegetable globally. It’s not the only one. But, this recipe is an ode to fattoush, a Levantine salad that is traditionally made from mixed vegetables, greens, and pita; cut celery provides this salad with an earthy, anchoring flavor that is accentuated by a fresh and vibrant dressing made from commonly used kitchen acids, like cider vinegar and lemon juice. Combining it with pita chips, creamy pine nuts, and decadent cheese spread will leave a refreshing taste and a fresh perspective on this green stalk.
An interesting note on Food & Wine Test Kitchen Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Preparing the dressing before serving is recommended because the acidity of vinegar and lemon juice in the sauce could cause the salad leaves to lose their vibrant colors.
Ingredients
- 2-inch (6-inch) pita rounds, cut in half, then broken into pieces of 1-inch
- 1/2 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- One teaspoon ground sumac, plus more for garnish
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup plain whole-milk strained (Greek-style) yogurt
- 1 cup with fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (from 1 small clump)
- 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (from 1 small bunch)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cups arugula
- 4. Medium stalks of celeriac which have been peeled, then thinly cut on the inclined angle (about 1 1/3 cup)
- 1 cup thinly sliced bulb of fennel (from a tiny bulb of fennel)
- Two tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, and line a baking tray using parchment. Place the pita on the baking sheet and drizzle it with 2 1/2 tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle the pita with salt, sumac, and 1/4 teaspoon and mix till evenly covered. Bake in the preheated oven until the pita is lightly golden, with spots of golden color, between 10 and 12 minutes, while stirring throughout the baking time. Remove the pita from the oven and place aside until you are ready to use. (Pita chips will remain crisp even when the chips cool.)
- Add yogurt, crumbled feta, and two tablespoons of olive oil in a blender as you blend. The process is at a low speed, slowly increasing speed until medium until the mixture is smooth, approximately 1 minute. Keep the medicine in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Wipe blender clean.
- Add the parsley, cilantro, vinegar, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the remaining six tablespoons of oil to the blender. Process at low speed, slowly increasing speed until medium-high, and continue until dressing is smooth, approximately 1 minute. Set aside.
- Toss arugula gently with celery, fennel, and pine nuts, 1 cup pita chip, two tablespoons of cilantro-parsley dressing, and the remaining one teaspoon of salt into a large bowl until evenly coated.
- Divide and spread the reserved mix of feta evenly over four plates. Place each container on a celery salad and spoon the remaining dressing over the salad. Sprinkle with the remaining pita chips and add more sumac.
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