Carrots
Roast Carrot Salad
Serves 2
450g carrots, peeled
2 tbsp Olive Oil
½ tsp coarse salt
1garlic clove, finely chopped
Juice of ½ a lemon
A handful of mint leaves, roughly torn up
Freshly ground pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6
Cut the carrots into even sized sticks approx 3” lengths. Put them into a roasting tin or ovenproof dish with the oil and salt. Turn to coat the carrots evenly. Roast for about 30-45 minutes, turning occasionally, until very tender and patched with brown.
Put the carrots into a shallow serving dish and add all the remaining ingredients. Serve at room temperature.
Ginger Spiced Carrot and Chickpea Soup
Serves 4
2 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
250g Carrots, sliced
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 large tin chickpeas
Salt and pepper
1 ¼ cups of milk¼ cup of fresh parsley, chopped
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and bay leaf, stir well, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft but no browned. Add the carrots, stock, chickpeas and seasoning to taste. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes.
Puree the soup until smooth in a blender or food processor. Return the soup to the pan and stir in the milk. Reheat and serve sprinkled with parsley.
Braised Celery and Carrots
Serves 4-6
1 head celery, trimmed and cut into 7.5 cm (3”) pieces.
25g (1 oz) butter
75g (3 oz ) Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
225ml (8fl oz) vegetable stock
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the carrots for two minutes, now add the celery and continue to fry for 5 minutes more or until everything is slightly browned at the edges. Season with salt and pepper, then pour in the hot stock and place a lid on the pan. Turn down the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are almost tender. Then take the lid off and increase the heat to medium and continue to simmer till the liquid has reduced and become slightly syrupy – about 5 mins. Serve the celery with juices poured over and sprinkled with the parsley.
Carrot and Coriander Soup.
Serves 4
1 Teaspoon Coriander seeds
25g ( 1 oz) butter
750g (1½ lb ) Carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1½ pints chicken or vegetable stock
3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
3 tablespoons crème fraiche
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dry roast the coriander seeds in a frying pan over a medium heat for 1-2 mins until they are toasted and start to jump in the pan. Then crush in a mortar and prestle or with a rolling pin!
Next, heat the butter in a large saucepan, then add the chopped carrots, garlic and ¾ of the crushed coriander seeds. Stir, cover the pan and let them cook over a gentle heat for 10 mins until they begin to soften.
Then add the stock and seasoning and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for a further 15-20 mins until the vegetables are tender.
Leave to cool a little and liquidise, return the puree to the pan and stir in the fresh coriander and 2 tablespoons of crème fraiche. Reheat the soup, check the seasoning and serve garnished with the remaining crème fraiche and a sprinkling of toasted coriander seeds.
Sweet and Sour Courgettes and Carrots
Serves 4
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
250g Courgettes, thinly sliced
250g Carrots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoons shredded Mint
1 tablespoon salted capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
Salt and Pepper and mint sprigs to garnish
Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the courgettes and carrots in batches until golden brown. As they are ready remove them to a warmed serving dish with a slotted spoon, leaving any oil in the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the vinegar and the mint to the pan and bring to the boil, then immediately pour this dressing over the vegetables and carefully toss to mix. Leave the dish to stand at room temperature for at least 30 mins to allow the flavours to develop. To serve, scatter with the capers and garnish with mint sprigs.
Carrot and Cinnamon Cake.
Makes 1 x 1 lb cake
½ lb (225g) plain wheatmeal or wholewheat flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ tablespoon baking powder
4oz (110g) honey
4oz (110g) butter or margarine
4 oz (110g) sugar
½ lb (225g) carrots, peeled and finely grated
Preheat the oven to gas mark 3, 325F, 170C.
Mix together the flour, spices and baking powder in a large bowl. Then melt the butter, honey and sugar together in a saucepan, and stir this mixture into the flour, combining all the ingredients thoroughly. Next stir in the grated carrots. Pour the mixture into a well greased 1lb (450g) loaf tin and bake for 60-80 minutes, until it feels firm to the touch and a skewer comes our clean when inserted into the centre. Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack
Carrot, Tomato and Ginger Pasta Salad
Serves 4
340g farfelle pasta
500g carrots
2cm piece root ginger
4 spring onions
3-4 tomatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
1tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Cook the pasta, rinse under cold water and add a little olive oil to prevent it sticking.
Wash and grate the carrots. Peel the ginger and grate. Finely slice the spring onions and tomatoes. Mix these vegetables together.
Combine the oil, lemon juice and vinegar in a screw topped jar and shake. Pour over the vegetables and mix with the pasta
Roasted Carrots with Garlic and Thyme.
Serves 2-4
500g Carrots
2 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 large cloves of garlic, smashed, peeled and finely chopped
Set the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
For an alternative to round slices, hold the carrot at the fat end, cut off a diagonal slice, spin the carrot a quarter turn, and cut another slice. Continue as if sharpening a pencil. It is essential that the pieces are of equal thickness.
Cover the thyme and garlic with oil and leave for 30 minutes if you have the time. Mix well with the carrots, salt and roast for 10 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Shake the pan id they are sticking and turn down the heat to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and roast for another 15-20 minutes, until the carrots are soft.
Carrot Cake- serves 12
For the Cake;-
300g carrots, peeled
225g unsalted butter
Zest of 1 orange, plus 3 tbsp juice
250g Self Raising flour
½ tsp ground allspice
100g raisins
100g piece fresh root ginger
225g light muscovado sugar
5 eggs, beaten
2 tsp baking powder
50g ground almonds
100g walnuts, roughly chopped
For the Frosting – 400g mascarpone, 75g icing sugar.
Preheat the oven to 180c/gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm round, deep cake tin and line with baking parchment.Coarsely grate the carrots,remove any moisture by patting with kitchen paper. Peel and finely grate the ginger. Place the grated ginger in a large bowl with the butter, sugar and orange zest. Beat with a electric hand whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour, baking powder and allspice into the bowl, add the almonds, grated carrot, raisins and 75g of the walnuts and stir gently together until all combined.Spoon into the tin and bake for 1–11/4 hours until risen and golden. To check if it is ready pierce with a skewer and it should come out clean. Remove the cake from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.For the frosting, beat the mascarpone in a bowl with the icing sugar and orange juice and spread over the top and sides of the cake with a palette knife. Scatter with walnuts and serve.
Carrots with Couscous and Thyme
Serve 3-4
2 tbsp Olive oil
225g carrots, coarsely grated
2 tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp sugar
300ml water
1 tsp fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
225g couscous
Heat the oil in a pan and cook the carrots, for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the lemon juice, sugar and one tbsp of water, thyme and season to taste. Simmer the mixture, covered for about 2 minutes.
Add the remaining water, bring to the boil and stir in the couscous.
Remove the pan from the heat, cover and let the couscous stand for about 5 minutes. You may need to adjust the water slightly.
Fluff the couscous with a fork and serve.
Ginger glazed Carrots
Serves 4
450g carrots
Large knob of butter
330ml ginger beer
Pinch of caster sugar
Salt
Peel the carrots, then cut into slices or thin batons.
Simmer in salted water for a few minutes until al dente. Drain, run under cold tap to halt cooking, then drain again thoroughly.
Put the carrots into a saucepan with the butter, and enough ginger beer to come about halfway up the carrots. Sprinkle over a little caster sugar and season with salt. Bring up to the boil, stirring occasionally, then boil until the ginger beer has more or less boiled away leaving the carrots glazed with a sweet, buttery glaze.
Carrot and Artichoke Soup – serves 3-4
250g carrots
350-400g Jerusalem Artichokes
1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
750ml hot vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To Garnish: 3-4 teaspoons crème fraiche and fresh flat leaf parsley,
Scrub or peel the artichokes and cut them into rough chunks and place them in a bowl of cold salted water to prevent them from discolouring.
Then either scrub or peel the carrots and slice them into largish pieces.
Melt some butter in a large saucepan and soften the onion for 4-5 minutes. Drain the artichokes and add them to the pan along with the carrots. Add some salt and keeping the heat very low, put on a lid and let the vegetables sweat for 10 minutes.
After that pour in the hot stock, stir well, put the lid back on and simmer, very gently for a further 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Blend the soup and return to the pan, season with salt and pepper and reheat gently to a simmer.
Serve garnished with a swirl of crème fraiche and a few leaves of parsley.
Carrot and Swede Duchess
Serves 4-6
750g Carrots and Swede, peeled and cubed
25g butter
1 Medium organic egg yolk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated nutmeg
Cook the carrot and swede in a pan of boiling water for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
Mash until smooth then beat in the butter, egg yolk and nutmeg, allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
Spoon the mashed vegetables into a piping bag (preferably fitted with a star nozzle). Pipe pyramids of the mixture onto a greased baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Carrot, onion and celery ragout
This tastes sweet and delicious and a good accompaniment to grilled chicken, fish or meat.
1 Head of celery
350-400g carrots
1 onion
20g butter.
Slice the celery, peel and slice the carrots and onions.
Melt the butter in a heavy pan over a low heat.
Add the vegetables to the pan and stir to coat in the butter. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Cover and cook over a very low heat for 30-40 minutes until the vegetables are tender. The idea is to “sweat” the vegetables rather than fry them. Shake the covered pan frequently to make sure the veggies are not sticking.
Cocida of Root Vegetables
Serves 4
400g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes
1 small lemon
1 tsp ground cumin
400g carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
500g swede, peeled and cut into thick chunks
15g fresh parsley, chopped
4 tbsp Olive oil
½ tsp crushed chillies
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
410g tin chickpeas, rinsed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
Salt and black pepper
Fry the potatoes in 2 tbsp oil for 15 minutes or until cooked and crispy. Set aside. Pare the lemon rind and cut into thin strips, squeeze the lemon juice and set aside. Heat the remaining oil in a wide pan, stir in the lemon rind, chillies and cumin. Allow to sizzle for 30 seconds, then add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until the onions have softened.
Add the carrots and swede and 300ml cold water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender, adding more water if necessary. Stir in the chickpeas and potatoes and bring to a simmer. Add the tomatoes and lemon juice, Season to taste and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Serve with a poached egg on the top and garnish with fresh parsley.
Root Veg and Bean Stew
Serves 4
1 Medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 medium carrots
1 Kohl Rabi
1 tin chopped tomatoes
200g butter beans or cannelloni beans (cooked)
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 cloves garlic,peeled and crushed
2 Medium potatoes
1 tbsp Olive Oil
500ml water + vegetable stock cube
1 tbsp fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Pre-heat the oven to 160C. Heat the oil in a large pan. Gently sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Scrub the carrots and slice into ½ cm chunks. Peel the kohl rabi and potatoes and cut in 1 cm cubes. Add the carrots, kohl rabi and potatoes to the pan. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree , thyme and stock and stir well. Add the beans and stir.
Pour into an oven-proof casserole dish. Cover and bake for 45 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has thickened. Serve with rice or baked potatoes and warm crusty bread.