I love carrots, in fact it appears that most of the world loves carrots - if you don't believe me, watch the crudites at the next party you go to, I will guarantee that the carrots will be the first chosen to dip in the humus or other dips. Yet, as with all heroes, the humble carrot is underrated and even abused. This injustice must stop!
As with all greats - don't mess with a classic! Don't even consider par cooking the carrot, there are only two ways to eat your carrots - raw or fully cooked.
For the big day simply boil the carrots (either as rounds or batons) and toss in a little butter and maybe some celery salt. If you must, boil cooked carrots briefly in a little butter and a splash of orange juice, but its really not necessary.
During the 70's and 80's my wonderful mother, who is both indestructible and a fine cook used to mix grated carrot, grated cheese, spring onions and salad cream in a bowl and serve it as a side salad. This all seems a little lacking in finesse now but it did depend on the wonderful natural sweetness of carrots. Below is a bit of and upgrade and would be lovely with cold cuts on Boxing Day!
Carrot salad
Carrots
Lemon juice
Poppy seeds
Sliced almonds
Peel grate the carrots into a bowl, squeeze out some of the water. Add the juice and poppy seeds. Toast the almond slivers in a frying pan until just turning brown and pop in a bowl to cool. Serve the salad with your cold cuts on Boxing Day adding the almonds at the very last moment so they don't go soft. The lemon juice is there to lift the sweetness of the carrots, lime juice would also work as would raspberry vinegar.
If you make only one New Year's resolution for 2011 let it be that you will never again take the humble, wonderful, madly colourful carrot for granted again!
As with all greats - don't mess with a classic! Don't even consider par cooking the carrot, there are only two ways to eat your carrots - raw or fully cooked.
For the big day simply boil the carrots (either as rounds or batons) and toss in a little butter and maybe some celery salt. If you must, boil cooked carrots briefly in a little butter and a splash of orange juice, but its really not necessary.
During the 70's and 80's my wonderful mother, who is both indestructible and a fine cook used to mix grated carrot, grated cheese, spring onions and salad cream in a bowl and serve it as a side salad. This all seems a little lacking in finesse now but it did depend on the wonderful natural sweetness of carrots. Below is a bit of and upgrade and would be lovely with cold cuts on Boxing Day!
Carrot salad
Carrots
Lemon juice
Poppy seeds
Sliced almonds
Peel grate the carrots into a bowl, squeeze out some of the water. Add the juice and poppy seeds. Toast the almond slivers in a frying pan until just turning brown and pop in a bowl to cool. Serve the salad with your cold cuts on Boxing Day adding the almonds at the very last moment so they don't go soft. The lemon juice is there to lift the sweetness of the carrots, lime juice would also work as would raspberry vinegar.
If you make only one New Year's resolution for 2011 let it be that you will never again take the humble, wonderful, madly colourful carrot for granted again!
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