Category: food

We had a good carrot meal over several days:

Herbed Carrot, Cheese, and Lemon Dip

Serve this dip with crudites-it’s a cinch to put together quickly.

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream or drained plain yogurt
1 cup grated carrots
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons each minced fresh parsley and chives or scallion tops
Salt, Pepper

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese and sour cream, stirring the mixture until smooth. Fold in the carrots, lemon juice, lemon peel, herbs, and salt and pepper. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

from:
The Big Carrot Book
Georgia Downard

We served ours with Di Bruno Bro. Crostini Artisan Crackers
www.dibruno.com

White-on-White Salad

Preparation: 5-10 minutes
Serves: 4

Here’s a tart, tangy, tasty salad easy to whip up and certain to please. Crunchy orange carrots contrast with pale soft pears and stark white chewy cheese curds, all blended together with tangy yellow lemon juice and topped by a dash of perky brown nutmeg.

2 large carrots, grated
1 cup large curd cottage cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 medium can pears, drained
Salad greens
Dash nutmeg

In a mixing bowl, combine the carrots, cottage cheese and lemon juice. Set aside.

Cut the well-drained pears into quarters and then into eighths, being careful not to crush them. (Reserve the juice for a breakfast drink.)

Place the pear pieces on the salad greens. Arrange the mixture on top, sprinkling each serving with a dash of nutmeg.

The Carrot Cookbook
by Audra & Jack Hendrickson

Carrots with Almonds & Horseradish

Serves 4

1 pound carrots, cut into thin strips
1 cup beef stock
1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons horseradish, minced
1/2 cup blanched almonds, chopped
salt and freshly ground white pepper

Simmer the carrots in the stock until just tender. Drain, reserving the stock.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Add the reserved stock, season and bring to a boil, stirring. Mix the egg yolks with the cream and stir into the sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the horseradish and almonds. Finally, fold in the carrots. Serve hot.

MICROWAVE METHOD: Place the carrots and hot stock in a casserole dish and cook on High for 8 minutes, or until just soft. Drain and reserve the stock. Place the butter in a jug and cook on High for 30-40 seconds. Stir in the flour, then gradually stir in the stock until thickened, stirring 2-3 times. Mix in the eggs and cream and finish as above.

from The Carrot Cookbook, edited by Nicola Hill

Simmered Carrots and Chicken Breasts

Preparation: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Cooking: 45-60 minutes

Nutritionists counsel us that white chicken meat is one of the best kinds of protein we can eat. It is low in cholesterol, low in fat, and low in calories – all of which goes double for carrots, which have no cholesterol, no fat, and even fewer calories.

3 chicken breast halves
Dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2-1 cup stock
2 cups carrot coins
1/2 cup chopped fennel
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Remove the skin and fat from the chicken, roll the pieces in the bread crumbs, and set them aside. Heat the oil in a heavy, covered pan, and brown the chicken pieces on both sides. Remove the chicken pieces and set them aside.

Lower the heat and add 1/2 cup of stock and stir to blend it well with the pan juices. (Add the re­mainder of the stock later if the chicken gets too dry as it cooks.)

Now arrange the chicken pieces, the carrot coins, and the fennel in the pan, cover tightly and simmer until the chicken is done and the carrots are tender.

Hawaii Macadamia Nut Carrot Cake

Makes a 7-inch square cake
3 large eggs, separated
l/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup minced carrots
3/4 cup macadamia nuts, very finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
l/2 cup all-purpose flour
l/2 teaspoon baking powder

Well grease a 7-inch square cake pan.

Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and creamy. Stir in the carrots, hazelnuts and lemon rind. Sieve in the flour and baking powder and fold it in. Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then carefully fold into the mixture.

Turn the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake in a preheated oven, 350F, for 40-45 minutes, until the cake is just firm to the touch. Let stand in the pan for about 2-3 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool.

(adapted from The Carrot Cookbook edited by Nicola Hill)