Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Celery Sorbet – It Only Sounds Crazy

If you set out to make an ice cream or sorbet from a vegetable, celery wouldn’t be your first choice, but nevertheless, these unremarkable ribs produce a shockingly delicious frozen treat. And, I said “frozen treat,” instead of dessert for a reason, since this has as many savory applications as sweet ones.

The first time I ever had something like this, it was used to garnish a plate of salmon gravlax. It was presented next to the cold, cured fish, on a pile of crispy rye breadcrumbs, and the combination of tastes, textures, and temperatures truly was incredible. After that meal, I promised myself I’d figure out how to make this stuff no matter how long, or many failed attempts it took. Luckily, Mark Bittman had already posted a recipe for it in the Times, so I ended up nailing it on the first try, but still, promise kept.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker, there are like a hundred hacks online for how to do this without one, or you can simply use the method highlighted in our strawberry granite video, which will produce something closer in texture to a snow cone, but amazing nonetheless. No matter what you use, I really do hope you give this very unusual, but absolutely delicious celery sorbet a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 6 portions:
1 pound (after trimming) sliced celery
1 cup white sugar
1 cup cold water
pinch of salt (I used 1/8 teaspoon)
1 lime, juiced

14 comments:

Suyashaa said...

Hello Chef John,
Could you please tell me how can I prepare this sorbet without the ice cream machine?

Chuck said...

Mmmmm...Dot the served scoop with some pistachios?

Unknown said...

Strawberry Granite? -- Spellcheck Rocks! (please delete this comment after use.)

praise team said...

Hi Chef John!

I LOVE celery- ha ha! This sounds so good:-)

What do you think about a celery curd for macarons? Or would that be way too weird?

Rasin said...

Dear Chef John, where is the place to / how do I request videos/recipes? I have a food wish! Thank you.

Rasin said...

Dear Chef John,

How do I request a food wish?

Best,
Robin

Chava915 said...

What kind of ice cream maker did you use? I don't know much about them, but I've seen some that need to be filled with ice, is this one of them?

shivnen said...

Hi Chef! What brand/model of ice cream machine do you use? Thanks for all the lessons!

Mojo said...

I LOVE this sorbet! It's perfect as it is, but I have a question? What can I do with the pulp after straining? I don't want to just toss it out. It tastes good but the texture isn't quite a palatable one. Since it has added sugar in it, I'm reluctant to use it in broths, muffins and other pulp friendly recipes. Any suggestions?

Unknown said...

I've made this twice, now. The first time, my ice-cream maker was next to my herb stash, and I could smell my bunch of tarragon over it. It seemed right, so next time,I infused a sprig of tarragon in the sugar syrup. I can really recommend this particular tweak. I'm sure there will be others.

Patrick said...

Hello Chef John, I am a long time fan of yours on Youtube ! I will definitely try this sorbet !

If I may, try the ube ice-cream (ube is the filipino name for purple yam), and as a favor, I would be delighted if you were also experimenting a personal recipe : the dulce de leche with caramel bits that I do here for my family. You can find both recipes in my microscopic blog here : https://expat-canteen.com

Cordially,

Patrick

SpasticMuse said...

I can't wait to try this. As a weirdo who actually likes celery - one of the few attributes inherited from my mum I would mark on the 'good' side - this sounds incredible. Hopefully can whip up a batch soon and convert dad to at least one preparation of celery.

Patrick Chadd said...

This is SO SO good! Even my other half who HATES celery said this is DELICIOUS! Thanks Chef John!!!

Evan Fields said...

I made this and it was really nice as a palate cleanser. To my taste it was a tad sweet, but still delightful.