carrot and chickpea salad
My mother recently said to me that she isn’t the least bit surprised that cooking is such a big part of my life. She said she could see it when I was a wee little thing getting overly excited to go to the market, or picking berries, or foraging for mushrooms. She recalled that she didn’t know any kids my age who would have rather been digging in the garden for vegetables than playing with other kids. I have a hazy recollection of accompanying my grandmother to the market where I could walk among farmers and booths and be seduced by all the smells and sights. My favorite find was a stand with the red currants in hand-made newspaper cones. So much for playing with dolls and a game of tag. My heart belong to fruit and vegetables, and summer reigned as king of all seasons in my six-year-old brain.
When I was even younger, I once ate so many carrots that I turned slightly orange. I remember looking at my palms thinking I should do the same with blueberries (unfortunately it didn’t work!). Mom likes to remember how the first thing I’d eat in chicken soup were pieces of cooked carrot, and how excited I would get to eat a fresh carrot from the farmers market, freshly dug up and cleaned. Growing up, a carrot was my favorite go-to snack, and my grandmother would hand-press for me carrot juice – a very special treat. It’s no wonder that my father used to affectionately refer to me as “rabbit”. I am, unabashedly, a fan of this humble root vegetable, and it is amazing to me that something that grows underground, sees no sunlight, and turns into something so lovely and festive-looking. You know well by now that I have quite a soft-spot for root vegetables in general. They’re totally under-appreciated and I’m on a mission to give them some love. When you pull a turnip or a carrot out of the ground, you get a rather dirty and downright unattractive vegetable, it is what’s hiding underneath, however, that is truly glorious and delicious. If you’ve never pulled out a carrot from the ground, washed it and eaten it right away, you really should – it’s quite an experience. And it’ll be the best-tasting carrot you’ve ever eaten!
There’s been some carrot salad love shown lately when Deb of Smitten Kitchen posted a salad that made me want to get up from my office chair and immediately go home to make it. Luisa also waxed poetic about it, and I was all, “What’s taking me so long!” And then, right as I was about to make it, finally, I came upon this recipe and decided that since Deb’s salad deserved an honorable mention all its own, I wanted to give a bit of a spotlight to this one. There’s cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper in it. There’s cilantro, which I cannot resist (but those who loathe it can always sub in mint!). And because there are chickpeas and almonds in here, you have a meal in and of itself if you so desire. Or a side-dish, as I served it (though I managed to have the leftovers for breakfast (I know, right?) the very next morning.) Which brings me to a question, is it some kind of a grammar violation to have parenthesis inside a parenthesis?
This salad here packs some serious heat, so if you’re sensitive to it, dial down the cayenne, m’kay? Because I don’t want some of you to burn the roof of your mouth and then tell me I didn’t warn you! This is spicy, but I love my spice, so I kept the proportions the same. Also, this salad is very considerate of your time, which means this is a rather well-brought-up salad, if you ask me. If you have a picnic to attend, you can make this (even the day before) ahead of time and chill it, needing only to remember to bring this along. Translation: you should have as many picnics as this season allows, as you will miss them in the winter when you’re wearing fleece head to toe and eating tomato soup. This salad with its lemon and cilantro got this fantastic summer vibe to it, and is bound to please everyone, including your gluten-free, vegan, or low-carb friends. With a salad like this, I know that your next trip to the farmers market might be packed with as much excitement as mine are to this day. Who knew that something that has the word “salad” in it could be so exciting?
Carrot& Chickpea Salad
Adapted from: Food & Wine who adapted it from this amazing place called Cutty’s in Brookline, MA
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 packed cups cilantro leaves and stems
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded
Preparation:
1. In a food processor, add together the lemon juice and the minced garlic. Allow to stand for 15 minutes for the flavors to infuse. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil, and add the almonds. Toast over moderate heat, stirring to prevent them from burning, until golden, about 5 minutes. Use your nose here, if the nuts begin to smell like they might be done – trust your instinct. Drain the toasted almonds on paper towels and let cool to room temperature. [Can be done ahead.]
2. Take half of your toasted almonds and transfer half to the food processor. Add to this the cilantro, cumin, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper and pulse until finely chopped.
3. Add the olive oil and process to a chunky paste. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the chickpeas and carrots and toss together to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the remaining almonds and serve.
Make Ahead!
The salad can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight. Garnish with the toasted almonds just before serving.
Serves 4.
Tokyo Terrace
I love salads like this one! There is something so classically wonderful about the combination of carrots and chickpeas that is refreshing, hearty, and healthy. I like making a similar salad with some creamy greek yogurt to add that luxurious texture without a bunch of extra fat. Delicious!
Naomi
This salad looks so good! My mom makes a cold carrot salad with I think mint and garlic that is really delightful.
(It’s totally okay to have a parenthetical statement inside a parenthetical statement [as long as you use brackets {different ones!} so the reader doesn’t get confused]).
kickpleat
I did that too – eat too many carrots….I swear my palms turned orange! This salad looks lovely and perfect for summer.
Katie @ Cozydelicious
This is my kind of meal! All those spices and chock full of nutrition. I love carrots… although it was my brother, not me, who turned orange as a kid!
Kampot pepper
Cayenne pepper is very strong, I prefer cooking with red or black Kampot pepper for my kids, it’s very tasty, they enjoy this spice.
Andrea @ Fork Fingers Chopsticks
I can’t wait until my carrots are ready for picking. I enjoyed the story from your childhood – connecting to food and the carrot. And, I simply adore that you were called “rabbit.”
FYI, I’m no gramarian but I think a parenthetical within a parenthetical (looks this [spaced]).
Stephanie
I love carrot salads – this one is new to me, though. Thanks for the recipe.
Val
This looks great! I have a bag of carrots lying around in my fridge waiting for me to conjure up something refreshing and exciting. Looks like I’ve found the perfect recipe. Thanks!
Monika
I can’t wait to try this; it’s got all of my favourite things!
It’s a treat to see fruits and vegetables through your lens; they become not only tasty dishes, but works of art.
Dana
You are so right, what a great summer salad for picnics. I can’t say that I’ve tried much that puts spice and carrots in the same place, but a salad with carrots and chickpeas sounds just right. It’s too bad the carrots out back aren’t quite grown yet.
indie.tea
How adorable! Your childhood stories reminded me of how when I was little, I would dig up and (wash then) eat a particular carrot from our garden, and replant it, and eat it…and so forth. A fresh carrot is a thing of beauty indeed. And your salad looks delicious and very unique.
molly
Genius, adding chickpeas!! I’ve bookmarked Deb’s and Luisa’s (and Sasa’s) carrot salad also, but held back, for lack of… now I know. Garbanzos. This will definitely grace our table, thanks!
harissa-roasted chicken with chickpeas and red onion « Sassy Radish
[…] delicate with its notes; I wanted a bold, daring dish that would hold its own against the carrot salad. And the flavors worked beautifully. The yogurt added a lovely tang that took the heat of harissa […]
Amanda
I could eat this everyday. Light, fresh, and full of spice, it will definitely be m new summer salad.
Exploded Daniel
Delicious delicious. I usually do the same thing but never thought of adding in almonds.
I do challenge you though to enjoy the ultimate pleasure that is dried chickpeas cooked in homemade veg stock instead of the canned variety.
eclecticgourmet
I am definitely going to try this salad – nice combo of ingredients
…I wasn’t a carrot salad person, until I made Dorie’s French cafe style carrot salad from her AFMT book, and now, I am a changed person!