Celery takes the spotlight for a change in this beef stir-fry

I’ve long been a celery apologist. It started in college, when one of my friends referred to it as “crunchy water,” implying that celery was boring, flavorless and pointless. It occurred to me right then and there that celery has a PR problem. It’s generally thought of as a background player, and never the star. Quick, how many dishes can you think of off the top of your head where celery gets top billing?

There are a few that have transformed how I think about celery and that I still daydream about. Years ago, during a fabulous restaurant meal, I was served a palate cleanser: a celery granita laced with fresh apple juice. I don’t remember what else I ate that night, but I remember that granita like it was yesterday. I keep telling myself I’ll re-create it at home one day. Then there’s the famed celery and anchovy starter at San Francisco’s Zuni Café, which comes with shards of Parmesan, Niçoise olives, a few flecks of cracked black pepper and a squeeze of lemon. And a few years back, right before the pandemic, I had the most delicious shaved celery salad that was mixed with chopped dates, crunchy candied nuts, and a drizzle of lemon juice and olive oil, all covered with a fluffy mound of shaved Parmesan. Heaven.

But this stir-fry, from food writer Fuchsia Dunlop, is my favorite of them all. So much so that I’ve been making it on repeat for more than 13 years. It has several things going for it: It requires minimal chopping and boasts just seven ingredients. But the best thing about this recipe is that it’s a genius way to use up that bunch of celery languishing (mocking you?) in your fridge’s crisper drawer.

The recipe calls for an entire bunch of celery (or however much you’ve got sitting around), and the combination of crunchy bits of celery with tender ground meat — we often use a plant-based substitute — in a sauce of funky, umami-rich doubanjiang (Sichuanese chili bean paste) and Chinkiang vinegar (Chinese black vinegar) is bold and flavorful but, at the same time, pared-down and elegant. In the original recipe, Dunlop instructs you to blanch the celery, but after trying it once and deciding it was too fussy for my weeknight efforts, I’ve never done it again. I couldn’t really tell the difference.

Dunlop lists amounts for the ingredients, but I think of them as gentle suggestions. Use more or less of the ground meat — or a plant-based alternative — if you’d like. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Just be sure to let the celery be the star for a change. It deserves the spotlight.

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Celery and Ground Beef Stir-Fry

3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as avocado or canola

1 pound ground beef, preferably 85% lean

3 tablespoons doubanjiang (Sichuanese chili bean paste*), plus more to taste

3 tablespoons finely chopped or grated fresh ginger

1 large bunch celery (1½ pounds), regular or Chinese, cut into ¼-inch-thick strips and finely diced*

Soy sauce (optional)

1½ tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar (Chinese black vinegar), plus more as needed*

Cooked rice, for serving

In a seasoned wok or large (12-inch) skillet over high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the beef and stir-fry, breaking up the meat, until fragrant and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add the doubanjiang and continue to stir-fry until the oil reddens, about 1 minute. Taste, and add more doubanjiang, if you like. Add the ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the celery and stir-fry, combining it with the meat, until piping hot, another 2 to 3 minutes.

Season to taste with soy sauce, if using, then add the vinegar, stirring to combine. Taste, and add more vinegar, if desired. Remove from the heat and serve hot, with cooked rice on the side.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Substitutions: For ground beef, use ground pork, turkey or chicken. Vegan or vegetarian? Use a plant-based ground meat substitute. Gluten-free? Use a gluten-free tamari in place of the soy sauce; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and 1½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar in place of the Chinkiang (black) vinegar, which is usually fermented with grains; and chili crisp or sambal oelek in place of the doubanjiang (though this will change the flavor profile quite a bit).

*Notes: Dunlop recommends trying Chinese celery, found at Asian markets, because it’s more flavorful than the celery sold at supermarkets. Doubanjiang (Sichuan chili bean paste) and Chinkiang (black) vinegar can be found at Asian markets and online. Doubanjiang adds a unique, difficult-to-replicate flavor. The original recipe recommends blanching the diced celery in the boiling water for about 30 seconds, then draining and setting aside.

Nutritional information per serving (scant 1 cup) | 252 Calories: 6g Carbohydrates, 51mg Cholesterol, 18g Fat, 2g Fiber, 15g Protein, 5g Saturated Fat, 547mg Sodium, 3g Sugar

— Adapted from “Every Grain of Rice” by Fuchsia Dunlop (Norton, 2013)