Celery Victor

Celery Victor is a vintage American salad prepared by simmering celery hearts in stock, then chilling them before they are dressed with a vinaigrette. The celery hearts are simmered in stock with bay leaves and peppercorns until the celery is barely tender. When chilled, the hearts are dressed with a combination of olive oil, tarragon, parsley, and tarragon white wine vinegar. They are then arranged on a plate or placed on a lettuce leaf and garnished with tomatoes and thin slices of hard-boiled eggs. This simple salad was invented at the turn of the 20th century by chef Victor Hirtzler at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco.