I’m not a big fan of the way most people traditionally use celery in salads — diced thickly in big chunks. This unusual salad slices the celery very thinly, on a bias, and transforms it into something more elegant yet still incredibly flavorful. The sauteed mushrooms provide a contrast in flavor and texture. I recommend you use the inner stalks of the celery for this dish and reserve the darker green outer stalks for making soup or stew.
Remove the leaves from 8-10 Celery stalks, then use a sharp knife or a mandolin to very thinly slice the stalks on an angle.
In a bowl, whisk together 4 T. olive oil and 3 T. lemon juice. Toss the celery with the dressing, then add salt and pepper to taste (the celery may taste quite salty already, so be sure to taste first).
Clean and then thinly slice 1 lb. of flavorful mushrooms — shitake, cremini, and/or others. Mince 1 clove of garlic (optional).
Heat 3 T. olive oil in a skillet and add the garlic until it softens, then add the mushrooms. Cook until they are tender, then allow to cool.
Toss the mushrooms with the celery, then sprinkle with 1 C. shaved parmesan cheese.