In France, the word céleri properly relates to a number of plants which have a common ancestor and which have celery-like flavour. These include what the British call celery, the swollen root vegetable celeriac, and lovage. This is much as we might called any number of plants 'cabbage', but might in some circumstances want to be more specific and get hold of some spring greens, or a Savoy cabbage or cavolo nero. In practice, most French would understand céleri as being what the British call celery.
There are two versions of this. Either celery and potatoes cooked and finely chopped and served with cream sauce. Alternatively, uncooked celery and potatoes, trimmed and sliced and mixed with mayonnaise and seasoned with mustard.
"Celery in the Greek style." Celery braised with white wine, oil, lemon juice and herbs usually including fennel and coriander (US: cilantro). It is served cold.
Lovage. A large unwieldy herb. Pick the stems off the leaves, tie them and hang them to dry for about 3 days. When crisp, crumble the leaves and store. Good in hotpots. Lovage seeds are used mainly in Indian cooking, and are from a plant of the caraway family. The greenish-brown seeds are a little larger than celery seeds and have a strong aroma of rather coarse thyme. Oregano can be substituted.
