Victor Hirtzler, chef de cuisine, at San Francisco’s elegant St. Francis Hotel first introduced this winning salad in 1919.
Ingredients:
3 bunches celery
About 1½ cups chicken broth
Herb bouquet of 1 bay leaf, 4 fresh parsley leaves, and celery leaves (tied together)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
½ cup olive oil
Celery leaves for garnish
Directions:
1. Trim celery bunches, cutting off the outer ribs, (save them for soup), and cut each bunch in half lengthwise. (Set aside some celery leaves for garnish.) Arrange in a large saucepan and pour in enough broth to barely cover the celery. Add the herb bouquet and salt and pepper to taste, and cook until celery is barely tender, about 6 minutes. Let celery cool in the broth then remove the herb bouquet. Beat the vinegar into the olive oil. Drain the celery, pout the vinegar-and –olive oil mixture over, and chill. Serve garnished with celery leaves.
Serves 6