I often omit celery for exactly that reason, even though I do like it. From what I’m gathering of your recipe, I doubt I could taste the difference if i tried.

You’ve just reminded me I’ve got a Costco duck in the freezer. Gotta figure something out for that!

Celery certainly does add umami, but at that price, I think I might resort to a little celery seed or just leave it out. Bok choy will not add the right flavor, as it's in the cabbage/mustard family.

I consider celery an important ingredient and would never omit it, but then I go through a lot of celery. I was thrilled to find some at the farmers' market last Sunday, and it was a good price. I like buying it at the farmers' market because it usually has more of the leaves still on it.

I use celery leaves and Italian parsley interchangeably. If you do not think that parsley has flavor, then you probably cannot taste celery either, but I definitely can.

Celery in a stuffing can add texture, but if you cook it for a long time, that will be lost. I would definitely taste the difference in stuffing that did not have celery from one that did.

Do not substitute bok choy because, as Carol said, it has a completely different flavor, and a much stronger one. Use celery seed if you have it.

In this case you should not worry about it. It wont make any discernable difference. Like Lars said, it would be different if you were making stuffing.

I dont buy it for much the same reason as you said. I find limited uses for it.

If I could find it some nicely grown fresh celery I will bet that it may be different from that grocery store stuff. I find that is true with apples and with lettuce. I find neither of these two things to be of much interest unless they are ones that I get from the local farm where I shop. It is not a farmers market, rather it is THE market at the farm. The lettuce from the farm in the early season and the later fall apples are both extraordinary.

Dont worry about that celery in the duck.

I do usually keep some celery seed around to add to a stewing pot. I actually like that better than celery.

Not necessary to add celery. Many recipes consider pantry/crisper drawer staples. Assuming they exist in most kitchens. I'm never without celery and celery seed as we love it. As well as red onion, shallots, leeks, etc....if not in your love or rotation....no biggie. Too expensive for your recipe and will not add much.

The best recipe developers will add suggested replacements, or if you have this-n-that on hand. No need to break the bank and purchase fresh expensive veg/herbs and such out of season. Or over-priced.

We like celery so much i sprout the root ends and grow all summer...on the kitchen deck with all the herbs.

I would say that yes, celery does add that much flavor, but if you can't get a couple of stalks (sometimes they take the outer ones off because they aren't pretty, and you can get them for free, or just ask the greens guy if you can just buy a couple of stalks). BUT with a head of garlic and an orange? It would have to be strong celery for two stalks to compete. Absolutely use dry celery or celery seed, or if you can get a less expensive celeriac (celery root) you can use the green bits off the top in the bird and make a lovely celeriac side to go with it.

Or...go ahead and use some of your bok choy--yes, it's a different flavor, but I think it would go well with garlic, orange and duck. Or an herb you like. Something that tastes fresh and green.

I do find that the aromas from such things in the cavity give flavor much more than anything on the outside, but it's subtle. Unless the specifics of this particular recipe are very important to you, feel free to play around.

I love celeriac, but I have not noticed that it is cheaper - it generally seems to be more expensive than celery, but it does have a more concentrated flavor that I especially like.

I have not used celery when I roast a duck - the duck already has enough flavor on its own. I have also never used a head of garlic with a duck. I have used orange, but only orange juice, to make the glaze, and I put that on only for the last 5 minutes of roasting.

"...or just ask the greens guy if you can just buy a couple of stalks)."

I would ask for sure. They've started selling individual stalks of celery at my market.

Isn't celery a crazy price? Here too, it's expensive. I do buy it when I see it on sale and wrap it in foil; it keeps a long time that way.

I use it in stir-fries so it does get used up.

BTW Jupidupi, remember when you messaged me a few months ago? I did respond but your email for GW isn't active anymore.

Celery is not an herb, nor a spice. It does not seem to add much flavor to a recipe.

However, in my opinion, celery in a recipe adds a lot of aroma. That I think is very important. One of the three ingredients in "Trinity" in French cooking.

dcarch

I haven't really paid attention to the price, but if it's $4.99, I'm certainly going to start growing from the stump!

When I did that before in my old much larger garden, I noticed that had a much stronger flavor than the store bought, which I loved in soups! Mmmmm!

Celery is a must have in my frig at all times. I cook with it a lot lot, we like to just eat. I learned early on when kids were young they did not like celery chuncks. So…I would run the celery pieces thru the blender, add to the recipe and they never knew the difference.

i think it add much to the favor.

FWIW, I grow cutting celery in a pot to use for cooking. It doesn't form thick stalks and the leaves are not overly strong. It also makes a lot of seed when it bolts. It's great for flavoring all kinds of dishes.

https://www.superseeds.com/collections/celery/products/cutting-celery-80-days

I almost never use celery. If I do, its for a dish for a family party because other people like it in things, and I use about half a stalk when I cook chicken dressing for SO. That's it. My mother threw celery in everything. From roast to chicken to spaghetti to chili to omelets. Celery everywhere. I always wondered why my mothers cooking always had that wet dog smell to it. Figured out later it was the celery.

Not a fan and would think nothing of omitting it.

Can't imagine being without celery onions and carrots in the crisper....Selery goes into some salads, certainly into soups and stews...onto a crudities tray and sometime is stuffed with soft cheese as an appetizer or snack in it's ownright.

I think it would add a lot to your duck dish and cabbage wouldn't come close.

IK used to grow celery seeds for the greens, used them fresh in lots of things....and when frost was imminent, I dried the leaves and used all winter. They lent the celery flavor but missed the crunch.

celery is really inexpensive here ... about 1.59 ... hearts are more. I like them wth peanut butter. You will get more flavor if you peel it with a potato peeler IMHO

Cutting celery and par-cel are grown and treated as an herb like parsley. The stalks of cutting celery, most are thinner than a pencil, have a much more concentrated flavor than the usual water-filled stalks. But it also lacks that crisp water-filled crunch so i like to have both on hand.

I only have one very close friend that does not care for celery at all. I was unaware for a couple of years until i saw him picking it out of an appetizer. Easy to leave it out for him in an app. In a miropoix, diced fine, it is less pronounced so he is fine with that.

I've only roasted duck a handful of times over the years. I use lemon, garlic and ginger, and last time in 2019 added a miso/ginger/soy sauce glaze. We don't care for orange anything. Similarly, if an expensive ingredient is not even cared for...leave it out.

4.99 is disturbing. But sometimes lemons are very expensive here. I pay 99cents for organic celery in my veg box. Sometimes it comes with the big leafy tops un-cut. WholeFoods is 2.69 here. Costco 3.29 for a pack of 3.

For roasting duck, I use salt & pepper and coriander - that's it.

I don't use enough celery in summer to warrant the price so I grow lovage - same flavor, no waste. I haven't posted here but wanted to offer my two cents. Lovage - Wikipedia