Full disclosure: I (Amelia) really don’t like eating celery. It’s one of my least favorite vegetables, in fact. To me, it tastes like crunchy water. I’ve tried dipping it in peanut butter; I was not impressed.
But I just can’t get over this salad. Despite everything I thought I knew about celery and its tastelessness, this salad is packed with flavor. The simple, fresh crunch of the celery allows the delectable combination of toasty almonds, creamy cheese, and sticky dates to shine and fill your mouth with bright flavor. The dressing is surprisingly simple, and just like the celery, perfectly so. I could eat bowls of this and nothing else and be happy. Seriously, the freshness and the flavor are just that satisfying. The fact that it contains an entire bunch of celery and only five ingredients amazes me. We have only altered this a little from the version we first read in Bon Appetit. If you’re looking for a quick and easy side dish, I cannot recommend this enough. It breaks up the heaviness of the mains with a healthy crunch that only veggies can bring. Celery, I was wrong about you. Come over anytime.
Celery Salad with Almonds and Dates
One large bunch celery, sliced thin on the diagonal into thin slices
1/3 cup raw whole almonds, toasted
Seven large medjool dates, pitted and chopped small
1/4 cup small cubes manchego (or another hard cheese such as parmesan)
Juice of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Four grinds of fresh pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Put the chopped celery, almonds, dates, and cheese in a large bowl and sprinkle the lemon juice over them, followed by the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir, then taste and adjust salt and pepper accordingly. Serve immediately.
Do-Ahead: You can pit and chop the dates, chop the cheese, chop the celery, and mix together the olive oil and lemon juice in a mason jar one day ahead. The dates will be a little less soft, but it won’t be the end of the world.