For a colorful side dish that will enliven any plate, you can't beat this light and tasty salad, which is easily multiplied for a large gathering. It will retain its delightful crunch for a day or two, so you can make it in advance--just sprinkle on a few drops of lemon juice and olive oil before serving to enhance the flavors. For the best results, use California carrots, which tend to be sweeter than Canadian carrots. This recipe comes from the kitchen of Jeanne Lemlin, a James Beard Foundation award winner and author of five vegetarian cookbooks. Her latest title is "Vegetarian Classics" (HarperCollins).
What you'll need
- 1 pound carrots, peeled
- 3/4 cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
How to make it
Grate the carrots on the coarse side of a box grater (a food processor extracts a lot of liquid and will make the carrots too soft for this salad).
In a large bowl, gently toss together the carrots, peanuts, parsley, and mint.
In a small bowl thoroughly stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, sugar, and salt, then pour the dressing onto the salad and toss again until the carrots are evenly coated.
Let the salad stand for 20 minutes before serving, or refrigerate it and serve within 2 days. Serves 6.
