Carrots
The carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot. Native to Europe and Southwestern Asia, the plant probably originated in Persia and was originally cultivated for its leaves and seeds.
Carrots are excellent sources of Vitamin A, Biotin, Vitamin K1, Potassium, and Vitamin B6. Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition
Some flavors that pair well with carrots: butter, ginger, lemon, maple syrup, orange (juice), flat-leaf parsley, sugar
Methods of Preparation
Carrots can be eaten raw or cooked, but cooking carrots brings out their natural sweetness. Some common methods are:
Recipes
Courtesy of: www.acouplecooks.com
Ingredients:
- 8 medium carrots (1 pound)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon plus 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or other fresh herbs — we used a combination of thyme and chives)
Preparation: There’s only one trick to sauteed carrots! Here’s what to do after you heat the olive oil in a skillet:
- Peel the carrots and slice them diagonally into rounds (on the bias).
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the carrots and cover. Cook for 4 minutes without stirring.
- Remove the lid, stir, and add the ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Continue to sauté uncovered 3 to 4 minutes until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh herbs and a few more pinches kosher salt to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes: Herbs that pair well with carrots Any time of year, you can usually find fresh herbs in the refrigerated section in your grocery You can use various fresh herbs in this recipe: here’s what we’d recommend:
- Thyme: Thyme pairs well with carrots (it’s a thing!).
- Chives: These are also fantastic. Use a combo of fresh thyme and chives for this recipe.
- Basil: Peppery basil would also work.
- Oregano: Oregano is similar to thyme, and also pairs well with carrots.
- Dill: Dill has a more distinctive flavor, but it’s often paired with carrots (since they’re part of the same plant family).
Or, a few variations on sauteed carrots The flavors of these sauteed carrots are distinctly Mediterranean. If you’d like to change them up to fit well with another cuisine, you can try: Cumin & lime. Add ¼ teaspoon cumin and spritz with lime juice, and they work with Mexican style meals. Soy & sesame. Swap the salt for a few shakes of soy sauce, and top with toasted sesame seeds and these carrots work with Asian style meals. Greek seasoning. Add a few shakes of Greek seasoning instead of the herbs.
Carrot Ginger Soup (Serves 4):
Courtesy of: www.acouplecooks.com
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 cups chopped carrots (1 3/4 pounds or about 12 large carrots)
- 1 ½ tablespoons peeled and minced ginger root (about 1-inch nub)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
Instructions Dice the onion. Peel and chop the carrots. Peel the ginger with a spoon, then mince it. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the ginger, carrots, vegetable broth, garlic powder, cinnamon and salt and bring to a boil. Then simmer until the carrots are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender using a ladle (or use an immersion blender). Add the coconut milk and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve swirled with a drizzle of coconut milk and topped with fresh cilantro.
Simple Carrot Salad (Serves 4):
Courtesy of: www.acouplecooks.com
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound carrots, julienned* (3 cups)
- 2 green onions
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions In a medium bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar or maple syrup, and kosher salt. Gradually mix in the olive oil. Julienne the carrots using a julienne peeler, with the grating blade on a food processor, or using the large grate holes of a box grater (this will do but the pieces aren’t as pretty). Thinly slice the green onions. Finely chop the parsley. Add all the vegetables to the bowl with the dressing and stir to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
*Notes: How to julienne carrots: 3 ways! The only hard part of this carrot salad, if there is one, is how to julienne the carrots. You can grate the carrots if you’d like, but we love the look of a good julienne. Julienne cut is cutting a vegetable into long thin matchsticks. The slices have squared off edges. You can julienne carrots with a knife if you’d like. But for this salad, there are a few faster ways: Handheld peeler: Use a handheld julienne peeler. Here’s the one we use. Food processor: Use the grating blade on a food processor. Feed in the carrots through the hole in the top of the lid. Grater: Here’s a shortcut: use the large holes on a box grater! Grated carrots are in flatter pieces than julienne, but they’ll work in a pinch.