This was a salad done for the 2011 High Ground Harvest Fair. I have to say many people seemed skeptical at first, but once they had a taste, they were eager to eat more. I even gave some to youngsters and was pleased to see them really enjoy this salad. Simple and quick to make, this will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Chantenay carrots, peeled (this should be enough to produce 3-4 cups) 2 medium to large Braeburn apples, cut into ¼ inch dice ½ – 1 cup toasted salted shelled sunflower seeds (I like a lot of seeds in this salad, you might prefer less.) 1-2 cups Cinnamon-Curry Vinaigrette (as needed), recipe follows
METHOD:
Using a fixed blade slicer with a medium comb, or a food processor with a (sharp!) Medium Shredder blade, shred the carrots so you have 3-4 cups. Put them into a large bowl that will hold them easily.
Toss the carrots with enough dressing to get them wet. There shouldn’t be a puddle in the bottom of the bowl, but the carrots should be quite moist.
Allow the carrots to marinate an hour at least, or up to overnight.
Before service, add the diced apples and sunflower seeds and fold them into the carrots gently. Toss the salad well and use your fingers to “fluff up” the salad.
Serve as is, or put onto some soft lettuce leaves for a fancier look.
Chef’s Notes and Tips:
You could top the salad with some mixed microgreens or sunflower sprouts to good effect. A little diced avocado would be a good match as well.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
Cinnamon Curry Cider Vinaigrette for Carrot Salad
The apple cider vinegar matches up with the apples in the salad.
INGREDIENTS:
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon 1-2 curry powder (sweet, not spicy)* Salt and pepper to taste ¼ cup agave syrup, or to taste 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar 2 cups grapeseed or canola oil
METHOD:
Put a teaspoon each of cinnamon and curry into the blender, the add the vinegar. Put on the cover and blend 30 seconds. Taste the vinegar-it should have a fairly strong flavor of spice, but the flavor should be balanced between curry and cinnamon. If the flavor is not fairly strong, add more spice.
Season with salt and pepper.
With the motor running, add the agave syrup.
With the motor still running, add the oil in a thin steady stream. Add the oil until the hole in the center of the “whirlpool” of vinegar disappears or the oil runs out, whichever comes first.
Taste the dressing. It should have a forward taste of spice, but the sweet and tart should be balanced. If it seems too tart, add a little more agave syrup and blend. Taste for balance. If the dressing seems sweet enough, but has a strong vinegar taste, add more oil while the motor runs, a tablespoon at a time. These steps should bring the dressing into line.
Use as needed.
Chef’s Notes and Tips:
*The reference to “sweet” refers to a larger quantity of fenugreek (which
gives the blend a sweet/maple syrup flavor) and lack of chilies in the
mix. I use a sweet blend as the dressing and salad are both sweet, so I
carry the theme forward. Honestly, any curry powder/garam masala you are
happy with will work. Madras powder tends to be on the spicier side-some
mildly prickly, some downright fiery. Taste it and see what you think. You
might back off the amount of it you use, or look for milder curry/garam
masala at most grocery stores, or go to a store that sells in bulk and ask
for a taste. If the Madras powder is too hot and you want to do the salad
tonight, you could skip the curry powder and add a pinch of turmeric,
coriander seed powder, cumin powder, and if you have it, fenugreek powder.
No fenugreek? Add a few drops of maple syrup.
If you wanted to change the direction of the dressing a little, you could use cumin and turmeric with some cinnamon, and maybe a little mint to give it a Middle Eastern flair. You could use a little almond oil if you have it and use almonds in lieu of the sunflower seeds.
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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