Some vegetables are often featured in salads and side dishes – others, such as celery, not so much. A hundred years ago celery was more popular than it is today, and I see old recipes for celery dishes from time to time.
I recently came across a 1921 recipe for an easy-to-make salad called Dressed Celery, and decided to give it a try. Thinly sliced celery is served with a lovely egg-based cream dressing. The Dressed Celery made a nice side salad.
Here’s the original recipe:
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Dressed Celery
2 cups thinly sliced celery
Cream Dressing (see below)
Mix celery with desired amount of Cream Dressing. (Any extra dressing can be reserved and used with another salad.)
Cream Dressing
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
3/4 tablespoon sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup cream
1/4 cup vinegar
Mix the ingredients in the order given. Slowly stir in the cream and vinegar while stirring to make a smooth liquid. Put in a sauce pan, and heat using medium heat while stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture thickens, then strain, and cool before using.
A Hundred Years Ago 
I do not think much about using celery in a recipe. It used to be popular in our household when our children were young. You always help memories surface, and great suggestions for recipes. Thank you, Sheryl.🙂
It’s nice to hear that this post brought back some good memories.
Celery used to be considered an exotic vegetable. I just found my antique reproduction of a celery cup that was used to serve celery on a buffet. I always like the crunch it adds to food.
I also several lovely celery dishes. It’s interesting how celery has gone from being an exotic vegetable to a very prosaic one.
And celery is so good for our heart. We should use it more often. Thanks.
I agree! I need to look for more ways to use celery.
The dressing sounds really lovely!
It’s a very nice dressing. It would be good on lettuce or other vegetables.
I use celery in tossed salads, and chicken and tuna salads. I love it!
I put celery in chicken and tuna salad – but don’t typically use it in tossed salads. I should start adding it to tossed salads.
I’ve never seen anything like this!
Until I saw this recipe, neither had I. It’s really a very simple way to serve celery.
Seems to be!
I remember Julie making braised celery in “Julie and Julia,’ and thinking that I couldn’t imagine it. But why not? Potato salad is dressed and it’s (at least in my opinion) useless without celery.
I saw that film years ago and enjoyed it, but don’t remember the part about braised celery. I’ll have to look for it, and watch it again.
Haha! With good reason as I now remember the line: “Braised cucumbers are a revelation.” My bad.
I love celery.. using it in soup, salads but never heard of it being served with a creamed dressing. Folks years ago were very creative in their dishes.
They had lots of creative cooking ideas back then – or maybe this dish was just standard fare years ago. Not sure.
Goodness, that’s unusual!xxx
It’s a surprisingly simple way to serve celery.
What a lovely idea for using celery! I have found that it really is the “secret” ingredient in many recipes, especially soups. If you omit it, the soup will taste a little less flavorful. Thanks for a great idea!
I’ve also noticed that I miss celery when it is not included in soups and other dishes that typically call for this ingredient. It’s nice to hear that you liked this post.