Just Dandy!

March 2024 Issue

by Lindsay Gifford
Recipes, Information and Photography Provided by
Dandy and Duda Farm Fresh Foods

March is all about the green—St. Patrick's Day, our beloved Lowcountry bursting out of the winter doldrums into beautiful green hues, and of course, the crunchiest “tree” of all—celery. It’s National Celery Month! That's right, March is the month to “stalk” up for spring, and we're here to celery-brate it!

Celery is lean, green, and on the scene! Whether you're enjoying "ants on a log" or flavoring your favorite gumbo, celery is your unique, go-to green. We went to the nation's leading celery brand, Dandy® Celery, to bring you all the juicy details about this low-calorie, versatile vegetable. Grown and owned by Duda Farm Fresh Foods, their Dandy brand celery history began nearly 100 years ago with Andrew Duda working 40-acres of land. It is a culmination of six generations of American family farming in California and Florida. And Duda's legacy still lives on today.

Between Dandy’s dedication to responsible farming practices and their grab-and-go products, which were developed with busy lifestyles in mind, you can trust Dandy® brand products are grown, harvested, and shipped with quality and care.

Dandy celery sticks are pre-washed and fresh cut, ready for stuffing and dipping. High in crunch and dense in nutrition, celery sticks make for the ultimate guilt-free snack, and the health benefits celery offers are vast. Celery can help reduce inflammation and has been known to cure temporary heartburn. It can also help lower cholesterol due to its high-fiber content. Speaking of high content, celery is 95% water, which helps to hydrate the body. From snack time to dinnertime and everything in-between, celery can be used to create healthy, flavorful meals.

Known for their superior celery, Dandy has evolved their product assortment over the years to accommodate trends in health and wellness providing consumers value-added solutions for fresh and convenient meals. What makes Dandy celery better? Well, it is naturally sweeter, crispier, has no GMOs, and is less stringy than other grocery store brands. The family has invested time and energy into understanding and working with nature to perfect the celery they grow, achieving the highest quality and best tasting celery in the market.

With hundreds of recipes on www.dudafresh.com, this website is home to delicious dishes sure to have your family looking for seconds. So the next time you’re shopping for celery, make sure it’s Dandy. Now, turn the page for some of our “Dandy” favorites, and don't forget to celery-brate all month long!

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 Sweet Corn & Celery Salata Roja
Serves: 2-4

For the Salsa Roja:
½ Yellow onion, diced
2 Garlic cloves
2 tsps Extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsps Lime juice
½ tsp ground Coriander
1 tsp ground Cumin
½ tsp Smoked paprika
½ tsp Chili powder
¼ cup Cilantro
½ tsp Kosher salt
3 medium to large Tomatoes, halved and seeded
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and cut
1 Red bell pepper, seeded and diced

For the Salata:
4 ears Dandy® sweet corn
1 cup Dandy® celery cut on the bias, ¼ inch thick
1 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 Lime
¾ batch Salsa Roja
½ cup Cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¾ cup crumbled Cotija cheese
1 pkg Dandy® Radish Mini Sticks
1 Serrano pepper, sliced, optional

For the Salsa Rojo: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the above ingredients and mix well to combine. Transfer mixture to an oven proof pan and place in hot oven for 30 minutes or until onions are translucent and tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Place mixture in cuisinart® and pulse until coarsely chopped. Set aside until ready to mix salad.

For the Salata: Strip Dandy® sweet corn from cob and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the Dandy® celery, olive oil, lime juice, salsa roja, and the cilantro, mix well and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serving as a taco: Grill or warm tortillas and assemble the tacos with the corn salata filling, garnish each taco with a scoop of the Salsa Roja the crumbled cotija cheese, Dandy® Radish Ministicks® and serrano chili slices.

Serving as a salad: Separate the salad into 4 equal portions, garnish each serving with crumbled cotija cheese, Dandy® Radish Mini Sticks and the serrano chili slices if using and serve.

Serving as a dip: Place the corn salata in a serving bowl and garnish the dish with the crumbled cotija cheese, Dandy® Radish Mini Sticks and the serrano chili slices. Serve with fresh tortilla chips and the remaining salsa on the side.

Serving as a canape: Spread the fresh tortilla chips out on a serving platter and top each chip with a small portion of the remaining salsa roja, corn salata, crumbled cotija cheese, Dandy® Radish Ministicks® and the serrano chili slices. These should be made as close to serving as possible to ensure the chip stays crisp.

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Bloody Mary Mocktail
Yields: 1 drink

1/2 cup tomato juice
1 Tbsp Dill pickle juice or olive brine
1 Tbsp Lemon or lime juice
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Celery salt
2 dashes Hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Cholula (optional)
1 Dandy® celery stick, olives, peppery bacon, lime or lemon wedge, for garnish

Add all ingredients to a glass and stir well. Pour over an ice-filled tall glass—such as a highball glass and stir. Garnish with a combination of celery, olives, bacon, and a lime wedge.
Note: To make this recipe a Bloody Mary Cocktail, pour in 2 ounces of vodka and stir well before pouring over ice and garnishing.

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Cubano Pinwheel
with Dandy Radish Pickles and Sweet Corn Mustard
Serves 4-6  |  Recipe by Chef Todd Fisher

4 Flour tortillas
12 oz Swiss cheese, thinly sliced (about 12 slices)
12 slices Smoked ham
12 oz Dandy® Radish Pickles (recipe below)
1 lb. Mojo roast pork, shredded or sliced, heated through (recipe below)
½ cup Dandy® Super Sweet Corn Mustard Relish (recipe below)

Mojo Roast Pork & Marinade:
2 lb. Pork shoulder
4 Garlic cloves
1 small Onion, roughly chopped
2 tsp dried Oregano
2 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp ground Black pepper
½ tsp ground Cumin
½ cup Orange juice
½ tsp ground Coriander
¼ cup Lime juice, fresh
2 Tbsp white Vinegar
2 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil

Prepare the Mojo Marinade: In your blender, add the garlic cloves, chopped onion, dried oregano, salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, juices, vinegar and olive oil. Blend until smooth. Pour over the pork to marinate. Turn to coat as necessary. Let the pork marinate for 4-12 hours in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, transfer the pork to a roasting pan. Roast the pork, uncovered, for 2 hours at 350°F or until a thermometer inserted in the fleshiest part reads 165°F. When the roast is ready, remove it from the oven. The top will be beautifully caramelized from the sugars and the aromatics that were in the mojo. Loosely cover the roast with a large piece of aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Slice or shred the pork for your Cubano pinwheels. If you made the roast in advance and cooled it, reheat before using.

Radish Pickles:
1 pkg Dandy® Radish Coins
¾ cup Water
¾ cup Apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp Agave syrup
2 tsp Salt
½ tsp whole Mustard seeds
1 Chili de arbol pepper
½ tsp Coriander seeds
½ tsp Black peppercorns

Pack the rounds into a pint-sized canning jar. Prepare the Brine: Bring vinegar, water, agave syrup, salt, chili pepper, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and coriander seeds to a boil, stirring occasionally. Then pour the mixture over the radishes. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. You can serve the pickles immediately or cover and refrigerate for later consumption. The pickles will keep well in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Sweet Corn Mustard Relish:
1 small Red onion, diced
¼ cup Yellow mustard
½ cup Dandy Celery, sliced
2 tsps Rice vinegar
½ tsp Kosher salt
⅛ tsp cracked Black pepper
2 ears Dandy® Super Sweet Corn, blanched and stripped from cob

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the Dandy® Super Sweet Corn and cook for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, put the Dandy® Super Sweet Corn into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Once corn is cold (1-2 minutes) drain and strip corn from cob. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix well, let sit for 20 minutes or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Pinwheel Construction: Lay out your tortilla. Place 3 slices of Swiss cheese and sliced ham on each tortilla. Next, place the Dandy® Radish Coin pickles in a couple rows then top with the sliced or shredded pork. Roll the tortillas and place on the griddle to heat. Roll them as they cook. Allow them to cook for 1-2 minutes before you roll them. Once golden on all sides, slice into 1 inch pieces and arrange on a platter. Top each slice with the Dandy® Sweet Corn Mustard Relish and serve.

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Shrimp Étouffée
Makes: 4 servings

7 Tbsps unsalted Butter
6 Tbsps All-purpose flour
1 large White onion, diced
11/2 cups Dandy® celery, diced (about 3 ribs)
1 medium Green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1½ cups Shrimp or seafood stock,
clam juice or chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1 Bay leaf
1 pinch Salt, to taste
11/2 - 2 lbs. medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups cooked White rice, for serving
Fresh chopped parsley, or green onion, sliced (optional)

Start by making the roux. Melt butter in a large saucepan or heavy bottomed pot (such as a dutch oven) over medium heat, cook until the butter starts to brown. Sprinkle the flour into the butter and begin stirring immediately. Cook, whisking constantly, until the roux is golden brown, similar to the color of peanut butter, about 8-10 minutes.

Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper to the roux and cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the shrimp stock and diced tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, pinch of salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 30-40 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add the shrimp and continue cooking for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Spoon the shrimp étouffée over rice. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and/or green onions, if desired.

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Chopped BBQ Chicken Salad
Makes: 4 Servings

BBQ Chicken Salad:
2 grilled chicken breasts, cubed
1 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsps Barbecue sauce
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Dandy Radish MiniSticks
1 cup Dandy Sweet Corn kernels, about 1 each
Crushed tortilla chips or strips, for garnish
6 cups Dandy Romaine Hearts, chopped - about 3 romaine hearts

BBQ Ranch Dressing:
11/2 Tbsps barbecue sauce
1/3 cup ranch dressing (store-bought or homemade)

Make the dressing by combining 1/3 cup ranch dressing with 1 1/2 tablespoons barbecue sauce.

In a medium bowl, toss to combine cooked chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce. Set aside. In a large serving bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, tomatoes, corn kernels, radish, and the chopped chicken. Drizzle the salad with dressing, then toss to lightly coat bowl. Top with tortilla strips.

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Apple, Sage & Celery Stuffing
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 45 mins | Serves: 4

1/2 cup Pancetta, diced
2 Tbsp Butter
4 Dandy® Celery Sticks, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
1 Apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 clove Garlic, chopped
3 Tbsps fresh Sage, chopped
2 tsps fresh Thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 tsp Salt and pepper
6 cups day-old gluten-free Bread, cubed
3/4 cup reduced-sodium Chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsps fresh Parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook pancetta for about 5 minutes or until golden brown and lightly crisped. Stir in butter until melted; cook celery, onion, apple, garlic, sage, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables soften. Let cool slightly. Stir celery mixture with bread; toss with broth until moistened. Transfer to buttered 9-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley. Cover with foil; bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until set in center and golden brown on top. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Tips: 1) Use a tart Granny Smith apple or a baking apple, such as Cortland, Fuji or Crispin.
2) For regular stuffing, substitute egg bread or crusty Italian loaf for gluten-free bread. 3) Substitute maple bacon for pancetta if desired.

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Celery Apple Slaw with Blue Cheese
Makes: 6-8 servings
4 Green onions, sliced
¼ cup Mayonnaise
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp Celery seed
2 Tbsps Apple cider vinegar
½ tsp Salt
1/2 cup crumbled Blue cheese
½ tsp Black pepper
4 cups Coleslaw mix (about one 16 oz bag)
4 Dandy Celery sticks, thinly sliced
1 small red Apple, cored and thinly sliced
¼ cup Pecans, chopped (or slivered almonds)
1 tsp Sweetener (such as Monk Fruit, Splenda, honey. etc)

To a large serving bowl, toss to combine coleslaw mix, celery, green onion, apple, crumbled blue cheese, and pecans or slivered almonds. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, sweetener, celery seed, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the slaw mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, up to 12 hours before serving for flavors to blend. The longer this chills, the better the texture and flavor.

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Cheesecake Celery Sticks
Makes: 6 Servings

4 tsps Powdered sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Graham crackers, crumbled
Chocolate sauce, for garnish
8 oz Cream cheese, softened at room temperature
6 Dandy® Celery sticks, cut in half crosswise

In a bowl, add the cream cheese, powdered, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir well to combine. Spread 1 Tbsp of the cream cheese mixture evenly down the center of each celery stick. Top each with a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbles. Garnish with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and enjoy!