Simple Pickled Carrots
Peel and julienne 3 carrots.
Toss with 1/2 tsp. salt and
1/2 Tbs. sugar. Let stand 5 minutes, then rinse.
Whisk together 1/2 cup water,
1/2 cup rice vinegar, 1 tsp. salt
and 1 1/2 Tbs. sugar.
Add carrots; let stand at least 1 hour before serving.
Roasted Baby Spring Carrots
Trim and peel baby spring carrots. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Spread carrots in single layer
on baking sheet. Roast at
450°F until tender.
Toss carrots with chopped
fresh herbs and more olive oil before serving.
Shaved Carrot Salad
Peel carrots. Run vegetable
peeler lengthwise down sides of carrots to create long ribbons. Place in ice water to crisp, then drain and pat dry.
Toss carrot ribbons with lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, salt, sugar, chopped mint and shaved
red onion.
Carrot Puree
Steam equal parts carrots and russet potatoes until very tender.
In food processor, puree carrots and potatoes until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with minced parsley before serving.
Honey-Thyme Glazed Carrots
In large sauté pan, melt butter. Add peeled baby spring carrots, chopped thyme and chicken broth; bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until just tender.
Add honey, salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, until carrots
are glazed.
Moroccan Carrot Salad
Whisk together cumin, coriander, cinnamon, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Toss grated carrots, raisins, toasted slivered almonds, shaved red onion and chopped mint
with vinaigrette.
Availability
Carrots grow year-round but are at their sweetest in spring.
Selecting
Look for smooth, firm, brightly colored carrots without cracks or any green, whitening or sprouting around the stems, the feathery greens still attached as that signals freshness. Larger carrots tend to have woody cores, while baby carrots are tender but not especially sweet.
Preparing
Trim off the root and stem ends. If the carrots are organic and on the small side, simply scrub them under cold running water with a soft vegetable brush and use them without peeling, since many nutrients will be lost if the peel is removed. If the carrots are not grown organically, peel them and trim at least an inch from the stem end, where pesticides concentrate. If the carrots have a woody core, remove it by halving the carrots lengthwise and cutting out the center with a small sharp knife.
Storing
Store carrots in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. They like both cool temperatures and high humidity. Do not store carrots near fruit such as bananas or apples, which emit ethylene gas and can give carrots a bitter flavor. Carrots that have become slightly limp from overlong storage can be revived by a 30-minute soak in ice water.