Carrot Salad with Chile Vinaigrette
Carrot Salad with Chile Vinaigrette
About this Recipe
Every favorite carrot salad rolled into one, this version has golden raisins, cooked chickpeas, walnuts, scallions, lots of fresh herbs, a dash of sumac, and a chile-bolstered honey-mustard vinaigrette. Calabrian chiles, available oil-packed in jars, are slightly fruity and smoky and have mild heat. This recipe calls for dill, but you can use just about any soft herb in your fridge — such as mint, cilantro, or parsley. After tossing the salad with the vinaigrette, serve it along with any leftover dressing (on the side), which hits all the sweet-tart-spicy notes.
The Benefits
The vitamin A in carrots is what you need for good vision. But did you know carrots are also loaded with antioxidants to help support your immune system, they might reduce your risk of diabetes, and they can strengthen your bones? Because of their fiber, they promote healthy gut cells, and they help keep blood sugar levels in check too.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) white wine vinegar
- A few strikes of lemon zest using a rasp-style grater
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- of salt
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 g) chopped Calabrian chiles in oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) honey
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Dijon mustard
- 3/4 lb (350 g) carrots, julienned or grated
- 1 cup (150 g) cooked chickpeas (if using canned, rinse and let dry thoroughly)
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup (35 g) walnut pieces (raw or toasted)
- 1/4 cup (50 g) golden raisins
- 1 small bunch dill, chopped
- 1 tsp sumac
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Directions
-
Step 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and pinch of salt until the salt is dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil, chiles, honey, and mustard and set aside. -
Step 2
In a large bowl, mix the carrots, chickpeas, scallions, walnuts, raisins, a handful of the chopped dill, and sumac. Mix in a quarter cup of the vinaigrette until well combined; add more as desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Before serving, sprinkle over the extra chopped dill and lemon zest for garnish. Serve immediately. Any leftovers will keep, in a covered container, in the refrigerator for a day.
About the author
Betty Hallock
Betty is a writer and editor: A journalist who formerly worked at the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Los Angeles magazine, she also has co-authored four cookbooks. Her favorite meal for as long as she can remember has been ochazuke — rice with tea and pickled plum.
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