Carrot mania

As a child, I was encouraged by my eldest brothers and sisters to eat a lot of carrots to improve my moods. As a result my skin took on a golden hue, or was that just the redhead in me? My moodiness unfortunately stayed about the same. Beta-carotene does work its magic on our skin and carrots are chock full of vitamin A, potassium, vitamin B6, thiamine, folic acid, and magnesium. Winter is a good time to eat lots of them. The four following recipes are using them raw for a starter, cooked as a companion to meat or fish and even as a dessert.

Bistro carrots (Easy, Preparation time: 10 minutes, Cheap)

Ingredients:

Dressing
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup (237 ml) of virgin olive oil
1/3 cup (76 ml) of red wine vinegar

Salad
1 lb (454 gm) carrot
1 Fuji apple
½ cup (113 gm) walnut

Material:
Food processor with the grate attachment on or manual grater
Peeler
Salad Bowl
1 glass jar with its cover

Place the tablespoon of mustard in the glass jar. Add salt and pepper. Pour in the virgin olive oil and the vinegar. Close the jar and shake. The sauce has become a thick emulsion and will keep in the fridge for several weeks. Just shake it again before using.

Peel the carrots and grate them. Peel, core and quarter the apple. Grate the apple. Place the carrots, apple and nuts in the salad bowl. Pour as much as sauce as needed and mix well.

Carrot Vichy (Easy, Preparation time 10 minutes, cooking time: 20, Cheap)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon (14 gm) of butter
1 tablespoon (14 gm) of sugar
1 lb (455 gm) of carrots
1 onion
1 cup (237 ml) of water
Salt and pepper to taste

Material:
4-quart pan
Peeler
Board and paring knife

Peel the carrots and slice them finely. Peel and cube the onion.
Place the butter in a 4-quart pan over the low setting of the gas. Melt the butter. Add the onion cubes and the carrot. Sprinkle the sugar over the vegetables and let them color, stirring constantly for about five minutes. Pour the water over. The water should just cover the top of the carrots. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the carrots are tender when pierced with a knife. If the water evaporates too quickly, add some. There should be a little left (28 ml) at the end of the cooking period.
It is a great side dish for a beef or veal roast.


Carrot purée (Easy, Preparation time: 5 minutes, Cooking time: 20 minutes, Cheap)

Ingredients (for 2):
2 medium-size carrots
1 potato
1tablespoon (14 gm) butter
¼ cup (57 ml) milk

Material:
1 peeler
1 paring knife and board
1 4-quart pan
1 food processor

Peel the potato and cut them in quarters. Put them in the saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over the high setting of the gas.
Peel the carrot and slice them. Dip the carrot slices as soon as the boil starts and let potatoes and carrots boil harmoniously for about twenty minutes.
Drain the water and place the vegetables in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the sharp blade. Add a little milk and butter and blend thoroughly. Taste, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
This purée tastes and looks awesome with baked salmon fillets

Do not attempt to purée potatoes in a blender without another vegetable unless it is glue you want. You will need a ricer or an electric masher.

Carrot cake (Easy, Preparation time 20 minutes, Cooking time 30, Cheap)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
½ cup (114 gm) buttermilk
½ cup butter (114 gm) at room temperature
1 cup white sugar (237 gm)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (14 gm)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (14 gm)
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1½ cups of all-purpose flour (350 g)
2 teaspoons baking soda (14 g)
1 cup shredded carrots (100 g)
½ cup chopped walnuts (60 g)
½ cup fresh apple juice (110 ml)
½ cup (60 g) raisins

Toppings:
1cup autumn compote from November blog

Material:
2 Salad bowls
Colander
Food processor with fine shredder attachment and then with dough attachment
Juicer
1 small bowl
10 individual molds silicone or greased and floured


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place a colander over a salad bowl and sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
Juice the apple and place in a bowl with the raisins.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, butter, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and mix well.
Combine the shredded carrots and walnuts with the apple juice and raisins.
Using a large wooden spoon, add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well.
Pour into the individual molds and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes check for doneness by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean. It is done.
Allow to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Turn the mold over onto a plate and surround with apple and quince compote. Alternatively, serve with crème anglaise (5th December blog described in green tea mousse)