Go back to your roots with this versatile vegetable
Carrots are incredibly versatile and there are plenty of both sweet and savoury carrot recipes you can create with them. They can be eaten as nibbles, as a side dish or in a soup for a healthy snack.
Grate a carrot on a large setting and combine with shredded cabbage, onion, mayonnaise and a teaspoon of mustard to make coleslaw – an excellent side dish for summer barbecues!
Because of their naturally sweet flavour carrots can be used in sweet recipes too. Make a carrot cake with 125g plain flour, 125g caster sugar, some baking powder, a teaspoon of cinnamon, 225g grated carrots, 125ml oil, two eggs and vanilla flavouring. Mix the dry ingredients together first including the carrots, then add the oil, beaten eggs and vanilla flavouring. Pour the mixture into a tin and bake for half an hour at 180°C/gas mark 4. Make some icing by mixing together some cream cheese with icing sugar.
For a healthy snack, chop them up and eat as crudités – dip in hummus, guacamole, mayonnaise, the list is endless…
When making a tomato sauce for pasta with garlic, onion and Italian herbs, add some grated carrot to add extra nutrients and a touch of sweetness.
Make carrot and coriander soup by frying some chopped onion and garlic until soft, then add some grated carrot (4 carrots’ worth), a pint of vegetable stock, a splash of white wine and a tablespoon of fresh coriander. Cook for about 20 minutes and serve immediately.
A simple but delicious way to cook carrots is to roast them with honey. Cut them into chunks and parboil them for 5 minutes or so. Pour over a little oil and a spoonful of runny honey and roast for 20 minutes at 200°C/gas mark 6.