Author Notes
I'm a 70s kid. Celery was on every hors d'oeuvres table at every boozy party, on every Super Bowl spread, in every snack bag. I have a fondness for its crude snap, its genuine humbleness. At Prune, in New York City, Gabrielle Hamilton has served celery salad for years. There's not much to it, and I've sort of made up my version, which I hope does justice to hers. And she pairs the crunchy, rough-around-the-edges salad with a toast topped with a large slab of Cambozola. What could make for a better lunch, really? —Amanda Hesser
Ingredients
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5
celery stalks, sliced diagonally, 1/4-inch thick
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5
radishes, cut into thin wedges
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3 tablespoons
parsley leaves, left mostly whole
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2
scallions, sliced diagonally
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1 teaspoon
Dijon mustard
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1
small garlic clove, smashed and chopped
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Salt
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Juice from half a lemon
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3 tablespoons
olive oil
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4
thick slices airy country bread, lightly toasted just before serving
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4
thick slices Cambozola cheese or other mild, creamy blue cheese
Directions
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Combine the celery, radishes, parsley and scallions. In a jar, combine the mustard, garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Add the olive oil. Seal the jar with a lid. Shake to emulsify the dressing. Taste and adjust the flavor, if needed. Pour half the dressing over the celery, etc., and mix. Let sit for 5 minutes, then decide if it needs more dressing.
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Meanwhile, toast the bread and top with the cheese. Serve with the salad.
Before starting Food52 with Merrill, I was a food writer and editor at the New York Times. I've written several books, including "Cooking for Mr. Latte" and "The Essential New York Times Cookbook." I played myself in "Julie & Julia" -- hope you didn't blink, or you may have missed the scene! I live in Brooklyn with my husband, Tad, and twins, Walker and Addison.
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