Dinner Tonight: Moroccan Carrot Salad
Last week I was singing the praises of Chez Pannisse Vegetables, and this Moroccan carrot salad is the next thing I cooked from it, which I made in order to use up a glut of carrots in the fridge. Though the recipe calls for pretty baby carrots with the stems still attached (not the peeled and cut "baby" ones at the grocery store, but actual young carrots), I cut up full-grown ones into half-moons and it was pretty delicious next to a roasted leg of lamb.
The spices are an unexpected blend of cumin, paprika, cayenne, and cinnamon. The recipe listed no quantities for the spices, so I experimented by using stronger amounts of cumin and paprika, just a little cayenne for heat, and cinnamon for its unique aromatic flavor. My guess is the next time I make this I'll improvise again. Otherwise, it's lemon juice for brightness, olive oil, and chopped parsley, with a clove of garlic cooked with the carrots to almost imperceptibly perfume them. The key is to allow as much time as possible for the flavors to mellow and marry; they are all strong and since they're never cooked, they can be harsh at first.
About the author: Blake Royer founded The Paupered Chef with Nick Kindelsperger, where he writes about food and occasional travels. He is currently living for the year in Tartu, Estonia.
Moroccan Carrot Salad
- serves 4 as a side -
Adapted from Chez Pannisse Vegetables by Alice Waters.
Ingredients
1/2 pound carrots, peeled cut into half-moons, or baby carrots peeled and split lengthwise
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Olive oil to taste
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Procedure
1. Bring a pot of salty water to boil and cook the carrots along with the garlic clove until just tender. Drain and cool to room temperature.
2. Combine the spices and toss with the carrots, then toss with enough olive oil and lemon juice to coat. Taste for acidity and seasoning, and adjust as necessary.
3. Toss with the chopped parsley, then set aside to marinate for as long as possible.
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4 Comments:
Oh! I make these all the time and I LOVE them! They are really really good. I like to take them to picnics/BBQ's in the summer, they are a nice change of pace from your typical sides.
Martini Me at 4:58PM on 01/15/09
I love the 'dinner tonight' posts. i've made dozens of recipes that i saw on 'dinner tonight' and i've loved every one.
but things like carrot salad, or the braised winter squash... these are more of "side dish tonight" recipes. instead of the carrots, how about you give us the recipe for the leg of lamb you had as the main course?
mr guy at 5:53PM on 01/15/09
How you gonna eat a carrot salad for DINNER?!
njgood at 9:18AM on 01/16/09
This sounds incredibly tasty, and sounds like a good compliment for a rice or other grain-type dish (I'm thinking couscous).
I'm vegetarian, so I'm accustomed to eating various side dishes to form a meal when I'm at family dinners and the like, where it's easy to get full off of sides like mashed potatoes, rolls, cornbread, etc.
tastyfever at 3:49PM on 01/16/09