Italian Celery and Mushroom Salad

There's an episode of Portlandia where the members of the vegetable council meet and praise the directors of kale and Brussels sprouts for making their ingredients hip and trendy.  Meanwhile, the man in charge of bringing celery into the 21st century sits in agony trying to figure out how to market his fibrous, watery product, one that can't just be fried and coated with something delicious.

In a just world, Mr. Celery's job wouldn't be so hard, because it's as great a vegetable as any other.  When you eat a piece raw, it's easy to miss just how much flavor it packs, but it becomes clear in stews and stuffings just how potent its earthy, verdant palette is.  And while the stringiness isn't its best feature, you can always count on it to hold up to pretty much anything with a crunchy snap.

I impulse-bought some celery the other day without a real plan for it, so I was excited to find this recipe on Food52 that showcased a relatively simple preparation of it (and one that, if I am to infer anything from the many versions of the recipe shown online, is a relatively classic dish).  The result is simple, savory, texturally diverse, and light - all the things I love in a salad.

Italian Celery and Mushroom Salad

6 celery ribs, thinly sliced on the bias
1 package (12 oz) button or cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

Add half of the olive oil to a skillet over a medium flame.  Saute mushrooms for 3-4 minutes until soft and cooked through, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Whisk together olive oil and lemon juice with salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl.  Add celery, mushrooms, and parsley, and toss ingredients together.  Top with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.