It’s still all about the simple around here.
This salad was so simple that I threw it together in about fifteen minutes before rushing out to a yoga class. The only part that takes any time is ribboning (is that a verb?) the carrots.
Until this week, the only carrot salad I can remember eaten was made with grated carrot and raspberry wine vinegar. It’s from a Moosewood cookbook and it’s delicious. But this one is entirely different. Since the carrots are thinly sliced – ribboned using a vegetable peeler – there is much less moisture than with grated carrots and it keeps much better in the fridge.
Again, this recipe is from 101 cookbooks. The original calls for the carrots, dressed with lemon juice and lemon zest, plus chopped fresh chile, cilantro and pumpkin seeds. Because of my lack of ingredients, my version turned out to be even simpler than the original. I’m not allowed to eat chiles, and my cilantro was slimy and brown. Too bad, because I’m sure it would be killer in this. Especially due to my intense love of cilantro. (Have I mentioned that? The fact that I can’t get enough of its earthy-yet-fresh taste, and J won’t touch it and swears it tastes like dirt? Yeah, I’m eating a lot of cilantro while he’s away this summer.)
So my plain-jane version was carrots, lemon and pumpkin seeds. I wasn’t super impressed when I first started eating it, but after it mellowed in the fridge I started to like the flavours more. It surprised me that the recipes calls for you to quickly sauté the carrot ribbons in a frying pan with a little oil, but I think it’s an important step. Like Heidi says, it takes the edge off their rawness.
Final verdict: better than the raw sticks that filled my lunch bag for days, and easier than roasting or caramelizing in this June heat. And frankly, when you can eat as little as I can right now, you’re grateful for something cold, sweet and nutritious that you can grab from the fridge and eat by the forkful from the container.
Also - I’m telling you this a bit late - but if you’re interested, go check out a culinary Q and A with me over at fellow food blogger Sharon’s site.
6 comments:
So funny, but today I was telling my hubby how much I love cilantro and that I can't believe so many people dislike it! My hubby and his family things it tastes like soap. Whatever!
I too like to ribbon my carrots for salads. Makes it looks so pretty :)
Missed you at the foodie meetup. Maybe next time!!!
This salad sounds great! I have a bag of carrots to try it on. And some curly parsley, since I'm on the cilantro-no side.
I wrote a comment on your friend's culinary Q & A, and forwarded the link to the fam, Love you!
Mom xo
I'm with you and Maki. Cilantro on everything! Also, that salad is so pretty. Did you find it time-consuming to make the ribbons?
I'm so impressed you are still with your healthy eating cleanse! I would have a majorly hard time doing the same as it seems everything I cook involves items on the "no-no" list. If it makes you feel good though I guess it is worth it!
I'm really sad I missed the foodie meet-up! I had something else that night that I couldn't miss. Next time for sure.
Hope you like the salad with parsley Mom - but let me tell you, you're missing out.
Hanne, that was the only annoying-ish part of this salad. But the carrot ribbons only took about ten minutes to make I'd guess.
Thanks Courtney! It actually hasn't been as much of a challenge as I had thought it would be - but I am look forward to next week when I start reintroducing foods back into my diet.
In my defense (as the husband), I don't remember saying that cilantro tastes like dirt. I do, however, think it tastes like soapy feet.
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