Farm Direct Coop Recipesor. . . what you can do with your share!

originally found at fdc newsletter august 2007 by Chris Vander Rhodes.  He found it at www.epicurious.com

• 1 lb. carrots, coarsely grated (about 4 cups)
• ¼ cup vegetable oil or extra virgin olive oil
• 3-4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
• 2-4 cloves garlic, mashed or minced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin or ½ tsp. ground cumin & ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• Pinch of salt
• About 1 tsp. harissa* (Northwest African chili paste), 1 Tbsp. minced green chilies, or ¼-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days, to allow the flavors to meld and permeate the carrots. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes 8-10 servings.

Variations:

Moroccan Cooked Carrot Salad (Shlata Chizo Metbucha): Do not grate the carrots, but cut them on a diagonal into ¼-inch-thick slices. Cook in gently boiling water until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Toss with the dressing as above.

Moroccan Carrot-Orange Salad (Shlata Chizo): Omit the cumin and add 1 ½ tsp. orange blossom water or ½ cup fresh orange juice, ¼ cup chopped fresh spearmint, and, if desired, 1 Tbsp. sugar or honey.

Turkish Carrot Salad with Yogurt (Havuc Salatasi): Substitute 1 cup plain yogurt for the lemon juice.

Editor’s Note:

For those who may not be familiar with Harissa, here are the facts (found on about.com).Harissa is a hot chili paste that is commonly found in North African cooking, mainly Moroccan,Algerian, and Tunisian cuisine. It is added to couscous, soups, pastas and other recipes. Itcanalso be purchased from Middle Eastern stores.

For a very spicy harissa, use a blend of cayenne, chile de arbol, or cayenne with a milder chili like ancho chilies. For a medium spiciness, use a blend of New Mexico chilies with guajillochilies.

Ingredients:

10-12 dried red chili peppers

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground caraway seeds

½ tsp. cumin

Preparation:

1. Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain. Remove stems and seeds.

2. In a food processor combine chili peppers, garlic, salt and olive oil. Blend.

3. Add remaining spices and blend to form a smooth paste.

4. Store in an airtight container. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top to keep itfresh. Harissa will keep for a month in the refrigerator