Winter Dinner Starring the Carrot

Carrots survive the cold, often in a root cellar or in the ground of moderate climates. So they're usually available at winter Farmers' Markets--in coats of many colors. The carrot isn't just orange any more. It's purple, yellow, white, even  red. Actually, the familiar orange carrot is the come lately; the originals until the 15th Century were purple, yellow and red. Afghanistan is thought to be their ancestral home.

Carrots are siblings of parsnips and cousins of fennel, caraway, anise, parsley, dill and cumin--which is why they taste so good paired up with any one of these.

We all know carrots are good for eyesight. It's that Vitamin A at the heart of orange beta-carotene. They're top of the crop antioxidants with other phyto-chemicals recently found to inhibit colon cancer cells. They're significant sources of hard to find Vitamin K and potassium. Orange carrots seem to be  excellent defense against cardiovascular trouble. And thanks to Bugs Bunny, they're kid friendly. So why not indulge in carrots right now?

Speaking of kid friendly, I think my version of an old Nepali recipe may be the most popular potluck dish I've ever prepared. I know when I gave it to a 5th grader assigned to talk about Nepal at Geography Show and Tell, every mother in the room rushed for the recipe. It's in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking (still selling well on Amazon), but here it is again. Great dessert, terrific breakfast.

Carrot Pudding
serves 6
(Photo: carrots for sale in Nepal)

2 c  grated carrots, 4-5 large carrots (you can chop in a food processor but do not purée) 
4 c (1 quart) whole milk 
½ c confectioner’s (powdered) sugar (use regular granulated sugar if you don’t have this. I use it because the cornstarch mixed with the sugar makes thickening go faster)
1 tbsp light brown or Turbinado sugar
2½ tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon ground cardamom 
½ cup white raisins
1/4 cup cashews, split and lightly toasted* -Optional 
2 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted*-Optional 
*Put them in separate piles on the small baking sheet of a toaster oven or on a small baking sheet in a regular oven and bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes until they are lightly golden.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat melt butter. Add carrots and cook until they’re buttery and very mushy.
  Meanwhile in a large heavy bottom saucepan or medium sized casserole, put milk on high heat and bring it to a boil. Immediately lower heat just enough so the milk continues to boil but does not bubble over. The aim is to boil it down without burning it or losing it over the top of the pot.
   When its ready, pour and scrape the carrot mush into the milk. Add cardamom and raisins. Stir to blend. Continue to boil over the highest heat at which it will not boil over, and stir occasionally to determine if the mix is thickening and to keep anything from sticking to the bottom. Do this until you start to feel it start to thicken against the spoon, which could be up to 30 minutes.
   Stir in sugar and continue cooking another 10 minutes or as long as it takes for the mixture to stick to the spoon or seem wiggly. This means you can see the bottom of the pan because the pudding wiggles aside as the spoon passes through it.
   Pour into a serving bowl and cool. It will continue to thicken. To serve, optionally top with toasted coconut and cashews.

Simple Carrot Timbales

Makes 6

10 med/lg carrots, peeled

3 tbsp butter plus 2 tbsp to grease the ramekins

1 cup half and half

3 extra large eggs

1½ tbsp. brown sugar

¼ tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground pepper to your taste

     Preheat oven to 350º. Heavily butter six ramekins.

Cut carrots into 2” pieces, put in a large saucepan, cover with water or vegetable broth, add a good pinch of salt and cook until carrots are very soft. Drain and purée.

    Melt 3 tbsp butter in the bottom of that saucepan, add carrots and spices (not salt), stir to blend.

Stirring continually, cook the mixture 3-4 minutes. Be careful nothing sticks or burns. Remove from heat and cool down.

     In a small bowl with spout or large measuring cup, whisk together the half and half, eggs, brown sugar and salt so they are totally blended.
     When carrot purée has cooled, slowly pour in the milk mixture, whisking all the while. Be sure everything is blended and smooth. Pour the mixture equally into the six ramekins.

      Place the ramekins in a long, high-sided baking dish and fill the dish with water halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  Bake at 350º 35-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Immediately remove from heat, remove ramekins from the water bath and cool one minute.

       Place a small dish on top of each ramekin and carefully invert to release. If the timbale doesn’t come right out, reverse, remove the plate and carefully run a flat icing spatula or small dull knife around the rim. Then put a plate on top and invert again.  Serve immediately.

French Carrot Salad (very kid friendly)

 (another Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking recipe)

 serves 6

7 med/lg carrots, peeled and grated
1 bunch curly parsley, stems removed, leaves minced

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup walnut or fruity olive oil

Combine carrots and parsley in your serving bowl and blend the colors.

(You can do this ahead if you cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.)

To serve: season with salt and pepper, blending carefully.

Combine lemon juice and oil in a small cup, shake well to mix and pour over salad.

Serve immediately.

Uzbek Cooked Carrot and Chickpea Salad for those who like to be exotic
 
3 turnips, peeled and washed
1 sm onion
2 med/lg carrots, peeled and washed
1/2 can (7 oz) chickpeas, drained
1/4 c sour cream or  creme fraiche
salt to your taste
1 tbsp freshly chopped dill fronds

Steam or boil the turnips and carrots until al dente. Drain and cool. Cube them as close to the size of the chickpeas as you can. Dice the onion. In a serving bowl, mix the onion, chickpeas, carrots and turnips. Season with salt, Stir in the sourcream and dill and serve.

Gingered Carrot Soup (Warm or Cold)

serves 4-5
1 c thinly sliced leeks (about 2 lg), scrubbed clean and drained

2 tbsp butter

1/2 med onion, diced

3-4 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced in disks

1 1/2 " fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced

1 med all purpose potato, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 c chicken stock or vegetable broth

 3 c Half n Half

fresh chives or dill, diced for garnish

In medium saucepan, melt butter. Add leeks and onions and cook over med heat until they are wilted and translucent. Add carrots, ginger and potatoes. Stir to blend and cook another minute. Add chicken stock, pepper and salt. Cover pan and simmer until vegetables are very soft, maybe 12-15 minutes. Pour pot contents into a blender or processor and quickly  purée. Pour in the Half n Half, ladle into bowls and garnish. Serve immediately.

  NOTE: This can be served chilled. You chill the purée and when ready to serve add the Half n Half and garnish.

Roasted Carrot Salad, a bit of work (from Ottolenghi)

serves 6

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1½ lbs small carrots, approximately 5 inches in length, scrubbed clean and tops trimmed

1 bay leaf (fresh, scored)

1 head garlic, cut in half

5 to 7 sprigs fresh thyme

⅓ c extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the blood-orange vinaigrette

2 blood oranges, juiced

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp granulated sugar

½ tsp kosher salt

⅓ c extra-virgin olive oil

For the cumin crème fraîche

1 c crème fraîche

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsps ground cumin

Pinch kosher salt

For the salad

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp roughly chopped roasted almonds

2 blood oranges,

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon

1 tbsp finely chopped chives

1 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Fleur de sel

Preheat oven to 400º.

In a small fry or sauté pan toast all cumin over medium heat until it becomes aromatic—about 60-75 seconds. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Place carrots, bay leaf, split head of garlic, thyme and olive oil in a bowl, and mix. Sprinkle in 1/2 tsp toasted cumin and mix again.

Tip the carrot mixture onto a sheet pan, and spread evenly into one layer, then season with salt and pepper and place in oven. Roast until the carrots are soft and beginning to caramelize, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove carrots from oven, discard bay leaf, garlic, and thyme leaves. Cool carrots.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Combine blood-orange juice, vinegar, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl, and whisk to incorporate. Slowly add the olive oil while continuing to whisk, until the dressing is emulsified. Add the carrots to the bowl, and toss to combine.

To make cumin crème fraîche: combine crème fraîche, lemon juice and remaining toasted cumin in a mixing bowl, and blend. Thin the mixture slightly with a few tablespoons of water. Add a pinch of salt.

Assemble the salad on a large serving plate. Put the crème fraîche in the center of the plate, and using the back of a spoon, spread it evenly across the bottom. Arrange the carrots on top of the crème fraîche. Sprinkle the onion and the nuts on top of the carrots, then add the sliced blood orange. Sprinkle the herbs across the top of the salad, and finish with a pinch or two of salt. Make a mess when serving, so that everyone gets plenty of crème fraîche along with the vegetables.

 

Rich Carrot Bread 

recipe was in a recent post.

 French Carrot Stew (from Thomas Keller)

serves 6

2 lbs sweet carrots
1 tbsp coriander seed
1tbsp caraway seed
6 tbsp unsalted butter
coarse salt
1 tbsp dry sherry
1 c carrot juice
lg pinch Garam Masala or yellow curry powder

Peel the carrots and cut them into oblique shapes. Make a sachet of the coriander and caraway seeds by wrapping them in a piece of cheesecloth and tying it with kitchen twine. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add carrots, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until the carrots begin to give off their juices, about 7 minutes. Lower heat if necessary to keep carrots from browning. Add sherry and cook 2 minutes. Add carrot juice, curry powder, and sachet and, and cook, swirling the pan, for 2 more minutes, or until the carrots are just tender. With a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots to a bowl. Discard the sachet. Simmer the carrot juice until reduced to a light glaze. Whisk in the remaining 2 to 4 tablespoons of butter, depending on your preference, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season to taste with salt, add the carrots, and swirl to glaze the carrots. Transfer to a serving bowl. 

And finally, in honor of Afghanistan, supposed birthplace of the carrot,

AFGHANI CHICKEN WITH CARROTS, RAISINS AND YOGUR

This is a qorma lawand, a fragrant Afghan curry thickened by nuts and made creamy by yogurt that's naturally sweetened by carrots (native to Afghanistan)and raisins. 

serves 4

1/2 cup almonds
4 garlic cloves
2" fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced
1/2 c water or chicken broth if you prefer 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (breast meat won't be as tasty or tender)
1/4 ghee or unsalted butter
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 yellow onions thinly sliced
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and minced (2 if you like hot food)
2 med carrots, peeled and sliced in thin disks
1/3 cup dark raisins
1 heaping cup plain thick yogurt
salt and black pepper to your taste
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a food processor purée the nuts, garlic, ginger and water. Put this into a large bowl. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, stir into the marinade. Marinate at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Melt the ghee in a large heavy gauge lidded casserole over medium heat. Add the spices and sauté about 30 seconds until they are fragrant but not brown. Stir in the onions and chili pepper. Sauté until the onions are soft and starting to brown, maybe 7 minutes. Stir the chicken into the pot with all its marinade. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Stir in the carrots and raisins and yogurt, blending everything. Add 1/2 c water or chicken broth to make gravy. Bring to a boil,then reduce heat to low simmer, cover the pot and simmer 40 minutes, adding water or broth if the dish seems to be drying out. Most important: keep heat low to avoid curdling the yogurt. Serve with the chopped cilantro on top as garnish. Serve with rice, roasted potatoes or naan and perhaps a simple spinach salad