A couple months ago one of my older neighbors received some food from the food bank, which she shared with me and a couple other neighbors. What she wanted was help from something like Meals On Wheels so she wouldn’t have to cook as much, but what she got were big boxes of produce and canned goods, and after two boxes she told them not to bring any more. Part of my cut was carrots, like 3 pounds of them, which is roughly a year’s supply for me.
I had carrot soup in mind, which I should have done while it was still cold out; I don’t want hot soup now. When you do want soup, I found two WFD recipes for carrot soup that both sound great: Mozart Golden Root Soup by ruleoflaw and Curried Carrot Coconut Soup from TX Scotia.
So, my carrots are turning into salad. Both these are from Once Upon A Chef.
French Grated Carrot Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
This grated carrot salad with lemon dijon vinaigrette is standard fare in French bistros and markets.
Servings: 4
- 1 pound carrots, peeled
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
- 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons honey, to taste
- Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 finely sliced scallions (or 1tablespoon finely chopped shallots)
- Grate the carrots in a food processor. Set aside.
- In a salad bowl, combine the dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, vegetable oil, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the carrots, fresh parsley and scallions (or shallots) and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Notes: Depending on the sweetness of the carrots, you may want to add more or less honey. Also, if you make this salad ahead of time, be sure to check the seasoning again before serving as the flavors tend to mellow.
Moroccan Carrot & Chickpea Salad
With fragrant spices, bright colors and savory flavors, this exotic twist on the carrot-raisin salad is a feast for the senses.
Servings: 6 (as a side dish)
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 3 tablespoons lemon juice, from one large lemon
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, from one large orange
- 1-1/2 tablespoons honey
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Salad
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely grated [I don’t know whether this is supposed to be different than grating with food processor as in the other salad. I used the processor again.]
- 1/3 cup currants
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted ahead of time (see below)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint or cilantro (or a combination), plus more for serving
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons finely minced shallots, from one large shallot
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the almonds on a foil-lined baking sheet for easy clean-up. Bake for about 5 minutes, until the almonds are golden. Let them cool.
- In a large bowl (large enough to mix the entire salad), whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing.
- To the dressing, add all of the ingredients for the salad and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (you might need more salt, lemon or honey, depending on the sweetness of the carrots). Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with more fresh chopped herbs. Serve cold.
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I loved both these salads and will be eating more carrots!
The neighbor also gave me this, which I don’t expect to love and eat more of. Any suggestions other than the salmon “burgers” on the side of the can?
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Dinner here will probably be grilled chicken, an artichoke, and smashed cucumber salad.
What’s for dinner at your place? Please write it up for us sometime! Message ninkasi23.