Shaved Mushroom, Celery, and Sesame Salad

Ingredients

• 2 stalks celery, ends trimmed
• 5 ounces cremini or button mushrooms (about 8), ends trimmed
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Handful whole parsley leaves
• Flaky salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. To de-string the celery, make a small cut into the outer base end of the celery stalk, no more than ⅛-inch deep, and pull along the length of the stalk. If it’s a wide stalk, repeat, working around the outer edge, until no more strings are released. Using a mandoline, cut the celery and mushrooms into paper-thin shavings. In a large bowl, combine the celery and mushrooms and toss with the lemon juice, vinegar, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, stir together the tahini and about 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until smooth. Don’t fret if it looks dry and lumpy; just keep stirring. The consistency should be about that of whipped cream cheese; adjust as needed by adding a bit more water or a bit more tahini. Season with a pinch of kosher salt, then using the back of a spoon, smear the mixture over your serving platter or bowl or divide it among 4 salad plates.
3. Add the olive oil and parsley to the mushrooms and gently toss to combine, then pile on top of the tahini. Sprinkle with a few pinches of flaky salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
4. Serve immediately, making sure to scrape up the tahini smear along with the mushroom-celery salad. Eat within an hour or so, as the mushrooms start releasing liquid as the salad sits.