Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Cornucopia of carrots

Seduced by abundance at the farmers' market on Sunday, I bought a big bag of new seasons carrots. Bunches of coriander lay nearby, and I took one, remembering a special recipe: carrot and coriander soup.

I haven't made this special soup for a year or two. Somehow I never had the right ingredients at the same time. But now, on the wet Sunday afternoon, was the perfect time.

Or so I thought. I searched high and low, through recipe books and folders, but the recipe was nowhere to be found. Never mind, I'll do it from memory, I decided. A bit of onion, lots of chopped carrots, sautee and cook in stock, and at the end add a big bunch of cooked coriander.
At the last minute, I remembered a forgotten ingredient: a little swirl of cream at the end. I didn't have any cream, but I added a scoop of herb quark, a new food that I'm enjoying. The soup was perfect: tasty and textured, filling and warming.
It was a cornucopia of carrots that I'd brought home. I remembered another old favourite: carrot and coconut salad. So I set to work, grating up more carrots, and adding a couple of handfuls of dessicated coconut. I can't recall where I learned this trick, but it's a magic combination. The coconut stops the carrot from turning brown, and it also adds texture. With a handful of chopped parsley (also bought from from the market), I had what I needed.
With a good stir, and a dash of olive oil, the carrot salad was ready to put into the fridge, where it will keep for days, and will become tastier with time.
Will I turn orange from imbibing so many carrots? Will my eyes be able to see in the dark? I'll let you know.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful feast! With the added bonus of improved night vision.

Anonymous said...

You will surely blush with carotene, Juliet, and everyone will think you have been sunning on the beach. Only kidding. The soup sounds wonderful, as does the salad. So good to see you enjoy it all.

Unknown said...

Yummy, looks very, very good :)

Marilyn & Jeff said...

Both of these dishes look so good, and the salad is especially interesting with the addition of coconut. I have never been very fond of raw carrots but the last few nights I have eaten a raw carrot as I wait for dinner to cook (rather than eat something I shouldn't) and I must say that I have been enjoying them, I will watch this space for more carrot ideas.

Juliet said...

That's interesting synchronicity Marilyn. I sometimes munch a raw carrot too when I'm cooking, but only at this time of the year when they are garden fresh. The coconut gives the carrot a different kind of flavour, and you can add some lemon juice also.
Penny - I like the idea of a carotene blush!
Thanks too, Ruth and M. Kate for dropping by.

Marja said...

Mm I love salads Looks and sounds delicious

Anne Ruffell said...

All those lovely fresh vegetables have made me feel quite hungry! Amazing what colourful pictures the simple things in life make!

Juliet said...

Marja and Anne, glad to whet your taste buds! They were delicious indeed.