Date and Celery Salad

Notes: You'll need a bunch of celery that weighs about 1 3/4 pounds; use a vegetable peeler to pare the coarse fibers from the curved back sides of the stalks, then use the peeler or a vegetable slicer to cut them diagonally into paper-thin slices. You can cut the dates, cheese, and celery up to 4 hours ahead; chill them separately airtight. Assemble the salad just before serving.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 9  to 12 Medjool dates
• 3  cups  paper-thin slices celery (see notes)
• About 1/2 teaspoon kosher or other coarse salt
• 2  ounces  parmesan cheese, cut into paper-thin slices
• About 2 tablespoons balsamic or berry-flavored balsamic vinegar

Preparation

1. With a sharp knife, cut dates from pits lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips; discard pits.

2. In a bowl, gently mix the celery with salt to taste (the mixture should taste slightly salty).

3. Mound celery equally on salad plates. Scatter dates, separating pieces, over celery; top equally with parmesan slices. Drizzle about 2 teaspoons vinegar over each salad.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

140 (19% from fat)

Protein:

5.1g

Fat:

2.9g (sat 1.8)

Carbohydrate:

26g

Fiber:

3.2g

Sodium:

390mg

Cholesterol:

7.5mg

Chef Jim Moffat, San Francisco, California, Chef Jim Moffat, San Francisco, California, Sunset, FEBRUARY 2002