This is a great summer salad, a punch of flavor, a burst of color, and you can make it in the morning to serve later with dinner or take on a picnic. When the weather is hot, do ahead cold dishes are so much easier, along with something barbecued outdoors to keep your kitchen cool.
Yield 8 to 12 servings
8 large carrots in mixed colors, orange, yellow, purple and red, peeled
Dressing:
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon of jalapeño pepper, finely minced
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup your best olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the whole carrots in the boiling water and cook until just cooked through (not too soft), about 8 minutes. Test my pushing a thin knife through the carrot. It should go through with just a little bit of resistance. Drain the carrots immediately and set them aside to cool.
When the carrots are cool, trim the ends and slice them in thin, one eighth to one quarter inch thick circles. Put the carrots in a salad bowl. Place all the salad dressing ingredients in a gall pitcher or measure. When you are choosing garlic make sure to choose cloves that are firm and almost crisp with absolutely no green shoots coming out. If there are green shoots coming out of the garlic, it does not have a good flavor. Stir all of the dressing ingredients together.
Pour dressing over the carrots and toss. The carrot salad is best of made a few hours ahead of time and allowed to sit in the refrigerator. Leftovers keep for a few days.
Dear Linda,
I came across your blog by accident and am so glad I did. It was great to see all the recipes for food I grew up with in Montgomery, Al. My mother emigrated from Rhodes after WW1 when she was about 12, and settled in Montgomery, married, had four children, and divorced, which is a long story. I’m a woman “of a certain age,” not too tech savvy, but love coming across people of my heritage. I live in Brooklyn, NY, having married a ashkenazi”northerner” whom I met at the University of Alabama. I am now widowed and living with my daughter, who is unmarried and works at home as a successful graphic artist. We live in the house she grew up in. My mother’s maiden name was Matilda Hasson. I knew some Capeloutos in Montgomery.
Thanks for your interesting blog.
Hi Catherine, my husband is Ashkenazi as well. I new and know a lot of people last name Hasson. I am so glad to have touched you and that you have enjoyed the blog. These days I don’t post to often, as I have a grandson and my family and social life have become very busy. I live here in the Los Angeles area and we have a large Rhodosli community . I grew up in Seattle and it also supports a large Rhodosli community. Stay connected and i wish you all the best. Sludosos. Linda