Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius. Melt butter in a small saucepan and add the celery. Cook for about 10 minutes or until slightly softened, place a lid on top and leave over low heat to 'sweat' until it is quite soft. Remove, season and let cool. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl and add the cheese. Mix the egg with the milk and melted butter and pour into the flour. Add the celery and mix until the flour is just moist. The batter will look a bit lumpy, don't overmix. Spoon into 12 well-buttered muffin moulds, filling each one about two-thirds full. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and well risen. These muffins won't be smooth on top - the end results are rather uneven. Turn them out on to a cake rack and eat while warm.
Makes 12
Source: Beverley Sutherland Smith, The Seasonal Kitchen