I love this recipe – yes, another carrot salad, yet this one really hits home for me. The carrots are so sweet right now, and they make this salad sing! This recipe is from Russell Moore, who worked at Chez Panisse for years, and now has his own restaurant, Camino, in Oakland.
Ingredients:
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
olive oil as needed
sea salt, to taste
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, about 2 limes
6 large carrots
1¼ teaspoons toasted caraway seeds
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
2 moderately hot, dried chilies, such as ancho
Directions:
1. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with a pinch of salt. Set aside a quarter of the garlic paste in a small dish and cover with olive oil (if you don’t have a mortar and pestle you can smash the garlic with the flat part of the knife and add a pinch of salt to the garlic and keep pushing down with the flat side of the knife to create a paste). You can use this later for fine-tuning the flavor. Pour the lime juice into the garlic paste remaining on the mortar, and stir to combine.
2. Slice the carrots into fine julienne, using a mandolin, if possible; it’s important they are not thick because you want them to wilt a little. Put the carrots into a bowl and use your hands to toss them with the garlic-lime juice and some salt.
3. Give the caraway seeds a quick pulse in a coffee or spice grinder just to break them down a bit, then sprinkle them and the sesame seeds over the carrots.
4. Tear the chilies into manageable pieces, discarding the stems and seeds, and place them in a spice grinder, pulse several times to create a coarse powder. Sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of the chili powder over the carrots; save the remaining for another use.
5. Toss the carrots to combine all the seasonings, then taste. If the salad is too acidic, add a splash of olive oil. If it tastes flat, add a bit more garlic paste or chili powder.
6. Let sit for 30 minutes for flavors to combine before serving, if possible.
Serves 6-8