SALAD WITH AN "EXOTIC" TOUCH

 I came in from the garden with a basket of small carrots, a handful of mint and one lovely rose. And, I had just the recipe to use all three—carrot salad, from Sabores de Sefarad, by Javier Zafra, a book I reviewed in last week’s blog.

Fresh mint.

The book actually has two recipes for carrot salad, both very enticing. One, for raw, grated carrots, calls for mint; the other, for cooked and sliced carrots, is finished with rose petals. No way was I going to grate the tiny carrots culled from my garden, so I chose to combine the recipes, using some of the flavors from both.

The recipes in Sabores de Sefarad are adaptations of foods that might have been prepared in Sephardic homes in medieval Spain. Some of the flavorings  are “exotic” by present-day Spanish standards—fresh ginger, cilantro, orange blossom water, while mint and cumin are very common.

Carrot salad with medieval flavors, garnished with rose petals.

Carrot Salad

Ensalada de Zanahorias

I just happened to have orange blossom water (agua de azahar) left from another recipe, but no rose water. If you don’t have orange blossom water, add a little grated orange zest. 

Pomegranate molasses (jarabe de granadas) is not used in Spanish cooking, but can be bought in Middle Eastern shops. If not available, use honey in its place. Although the recipe does not call for vinegar, to my taste the dressing was too sweet, so I added just a little. The garnish of rose petals is so pretty, but if you don’t have unsprayed roses, just omit the garnish. If pine nuts aren't available, use toasted almonds or pistachios.

If available, use purple carrots for this recipe or a combination of purple and orange carrots. 

Sweet and sour vinaigrette for carrots.

Serves 6.

1 pound carrots

Salt

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds

1 tablespoon raisins

½ tablespoon orange blossom water

½ tablespoon rose water

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses or honey

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Sherry vinegar (optional)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or cilantro

1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts

Rose petals, to garnish

Cook the carrots in boiling salted water until they are easily pierced with the tip of a knife. Drain and refresh them in cold water. When cool enough to handle, peel the carrots. If using full-size carrots, slice them crosswise. If using small carrots, cut them into 1 ½-inch lengths.

In a small bowl combine the ginger, cumin, raisins, orange blossom and rose water, honey or pomengranate syrup and pepper. Whisk in the oil and vinegar until the dressing is emulsified. 

Mix the dressing with the carrots. Allow to stand for 2 hours (or up to 24 hours). 

Stir in the chopped mint or cilantro immediately before serving. Spread the carrots on a platter. Garnish with the pine nuts and a few rose petals.

More recipes for carrot salad:

Sweet and Sour Purple Carrots.

Minted Carrot Salad.

Moroccan Carrot Salad.

SABORES DE SEFARAD--Los Secretos de la Gastronomía Judeoespañola by Javier Zafra is available to order from  https://redjuderias.org/producto/sabores-de-sefarad/