Favourite recipes resemble old friends, dependable, understanding, always there for you and make you feel good. Moroccan Carrot salad is not only a favourite recipe but it was given to me by an old friend. Nina taught me to cut the carrots a very specific way as this is how it is served in a restaurant in a fine dining restaurant in Vermont. The carrots don’t have to be cut this way, but it does make a nice looking salad and it’s quite meditative. This salad is even better the next day, but I am never that prepared.
Moroccan Carrot Salad
700g carrots, prepared weight
Dressing
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped, finely grated or made into a paste
60ml (4tbsp) fruity olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
small bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Peel carrots and slice into thick rounds, about 1/3-1/2 inch. Make sure the carrots are even size, so at the bottom of the carrot slices will be thicker and at the top the slice will be thinner. Slice the carrots individually and turn a 1/4 of a turn with each slice*(see note above).
- Bring a pot of water to boil and add carrots. Return to the boil and boil for 6 minutes or until carrots are cooked, but still have a good bite to them. Plunge the carrots into an ice bath to stop cooking or plunge into cold water, drain and repeat.
- In a bowl combine the dressing ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and cooled carrots.