Welcome to the Celtnet Herb Guide. As this site has grown and many more recipes have been added it's become evident that a guide to the various herbs available to the cook is necessary. With spices becoming more commonly available herbs have become the 'Cinderella' flavourings in the culinary world and more and more herbs are falling out of common usage. These pages are an attempt at bringing all the various culinary herbs together into one place so that you can see what's available and perhaps find something new to use in your own cooking. To use this Herb Guide simply click on the first letter of the herb name above or below. Alternativey why not just browse through the guide. All the herbs given here whether common or rare can be obtained via a specialist herb nursery.

This is the description page for Celery Leaves (Apium graveolens) and includes a description as well as an image, if available and a selection of recipes from this site that relates to the herb: Celery Leaves.

Celery, Apiem graveolens (also known as celeriac (if the roots are eaten), leaf celery, cutting leaf celery) is a plant in the Apiaceae (carrot) family, originally native to the Mediterranean, that grows to 1m tall. The leaves are pinnate to bipinnate leaves with rhombic leaflets 3–6 cm long and 2–4 cm broad. The flowers are creamy-white, 2–3 mm diameter, produced in dense compound umbels. The seeds are broad ovoid to globose, 1.5–2 mm long and wide (the image here shows leaf celery (left), celery sticks with leaves (right) and a close-up of celery leaves (inset).

Many cultivars are grown, that are either grown for their root (celeriac), their stout stems (celery) or their leaves (leaf celery). Celery leaf, which can be obtained either from leaf celery or the leafy tops of celery, is an herb that used to be commonly employed in the Roman, Medieval and Elizabethan periods, but which has declined significantly in use since the Victorians developed stout-stemmed varieties of celery that were both self-blanching (gave white stems) and which were much less bitter than their precursors. From this period onwards the stems of celery tended to be used as both a vegetable and a flavouring.

This is a shame, as the unique flavour of celery leaves are suited to a whole range of dishes. They make a flavourful substitute for coriander (cilantro) leaves for those who do not like the taste of this herb. Celery leaves will lift the flavour of any salad, their aniseedy note go well with fish dishes and they make excellent favour additions and garnishes to all kinds of soups. Indeed, celery leaves are unique amongst herbs in that they retain much of their flavor even after prolonged cooking, and are therefore frequently added to soups, stews, and bean dishes.

Celery's aromatic oil (which can be derived from all parts of the plant) is dominated by limonene, with the sesquiterpenes β-selinene and humulene being present at lower concentrations. However, celery's characteristic and unique aroma and flavour is created by the presence of the phthalides 3-butylphthalid and its 5,6-dihydro derivate sedanenolid (though they occur only in trace amounts in the essential oil).

It should be noted that celery also contains the furano-coumarin bergaptene that's a potent photosensitizer and can cause photo-dermatitis in those sensitive when the juice of the plant comes into contact with skin and is exposed to sunlight.

The first incidence of the use of Celery in English comes from the early 1660s, and this late adoption is a surprise to many. The English word celery is derived from the French céleri, which itself is derived from the Lombard dialect seleri which comes from the Classical Latin selinon that is, itself derived from the Ancient Greek σέλινον (selinon), literally meaning 'parsley'.

Celery has been used by humans for over 3000 years (celery leaves and flower heads were part of the garlands found in the tomb of pharaoh Tutankhamun who died in 1323 BCE). In Homer's Ilaid, the poet relates how the horses of the Myrmidons graze on wild celery that grows in the marshes of Troy, and in Odyssey, there is mention of the meadows of violet and wild celery surrounding the cave of Calypso. In classical Greece, the spicy odour and dark leaf colour of celery encouraged its association with the chthonic cults of the daad. Indeed, in classical Greece, celery leaves were used as garlands for the dead, and the wreaths of the winners at the Isthmian Games were first made of celery before being replaced by crowns made of pine. Pliny the elder also relates that the winners of the sacred Nemean Games of Achaea also wore wreaths made of celery.

Ancient Roman Hare in Sweet Sauce
Rabbit in Piquant Sauce
Spinach Salad with Preserved Lemons
Maple-Glazed Roast Turkey Breast With Cornbread Stuffing
Golden Chanterelle Soup
Brown Windsor Soup
Sauerbraten with Sweet and Sour Cabbage
Bloody Mary Aspic
Grilled/Chilled Tuna with Tangerines
Waldorf Hotel's Waldorf Salad
Roast Rabbit with Herbs
Lamb with Kishke and Peas
Herb Dressing
Spinach Salad with Moroccan Preserved Lemon
Roast Veal with Herbs
Roast Turkey with Herbs
Pressure Cooker Lemon Herbed Chicken
Celery Leaf Pesto
Grilled Squid Salad with Celery Leaf Pesto
Mushroom Carpaccio with Pecorino Cheese
Celery and Barley Soup
Spinach and Celery Leaf Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Vinegar-braised Chicken with Garlic and Celery Leaves
Celery Herb Salad with Celery Leaf Pesto and Stracciatella Cheese
Chicken Soup with Celery Leaves and Coriander
Partridge Breasts with Figs, Celery Leaves and Gorgonzola
Baian Beans
Belgian Eels in Green Sauce
Haricot Bean and Celery Leaf Soup
Kavarma II
Stuffed Vine Leaves