Recipes › Celery › Braised Celery with Pancetta and Thyme
Braised Celery with Pancetta and Thyme
Braising transforms celery completely — the sharp, raw bite disappears and it becomes tender, sweet, and almost silky. Pancetta and thyme give the dish a savoury backbone, and a little white wine and stock reduce down into a glossy, clinging sauce. This is the kind of simple side dish that quietly becomes everyone's favourite thing on the table.
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Ingredients
- 900 g celery, outer stalks trimmed, cut into 8cm lengths
- 150 g pancetta lardonsor use smoked streaky bacon, cut into small pieces
- 3 shallots, finely sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 300 ml chicken stockor use vegetable stock for a lighter result
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 15 g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Contains: celery, milk, sulphites.
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a wide, lidded sauté pan or shallow casserole over a medium-high heat. Add the pancetta lardons and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and beginning to crisp.About 5 min
- Add the shallots to the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 3 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and thyme and cook for a further minute.About 4 min
- Add the celery pieces in a single layer as much as possible. Pour over the white wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.About 2 min
- Pour in the stock, add the butter, and season lightly with salt and pepper — the pancetta is already salty, so taste before adding much salt. Bring to a simmer, then cover with the lid and cook over a low heat for 25 minutes, turning the celery once halfway through, until completely tender.About 25 min
- Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes, turning the celery gently, until the braising liquid has reduced to a glossy, lightly coating sauce.About 5 min
- Remove the thyme sprigs, scatter over the parsley if using, and serve straight from the pan.
Tips
- Peel the outer celery stalks with a vegetable peeler to remove any tough strings — this makes a noticeable difference to the final texture.
- The dish is done when you can push the tip of a knife into the celery with no resistance at all. Undercooked braised celery is unpleasant, so do not rush it.
- This is excellent alongside roast chicken or a simple pork chop, and the braising juices are wonderful mopped up with good bread.
Ring the changes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the pancetta, use vegetable stock, and add a tablespoon of capers at the end for a similar savoury punch.
- A strip of lemon zest added to the braising liquid gives the finished dish a lovely brightness.
Keeping it
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of stock or water to loosen. Not suitable for freezing as the texture softens too much.
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