Slow Braised Celery

vegetable broth

🥗Healthier: homemade vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water + bouillon cubes

Homemade broth is healthier and more flavorful.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Canola oil is less expensive and has a neutral flavor.

bay leaves

💰Cheaper: dried basil

Dried basil can provide a similar aromatic quality.

thyme

💰Cheaper: oregano

Oregano can be a more affordable herb option.

Cut the base off the celery to clean it.

Wash the celery and cut it into large chunks, keeping the tops intact.

Prepare a simple tomato sauce using cheap tinned tomatoes and an onion cooked down for a long time and then pureed.

Heat up the bacon in the tomato sauce until defrosted and warm.

Season the sauce with black pepper and salt, tasting to adjust seasoning as needed.

Add a bit of sauce to the bottom of a baking dish to prevent the celery from catching on the bottom.

Layer the celery chunks in the baking dish, adding more sauce on top as needed.

Cover the dish with foil and place it in the oven at 125 degrees Celsius for three hours.

Check the celery after two and three-quarter hours and determine if it needs more time based on tenderness.

Taste the celery to ensure it's tender and not stringy, scraping the flesh out with your teeth.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary