March 9 -
The Carefree Gourmet
Crazy Carrots
by Joyce McCombs
For some reason, I can’t seem to get enough of America’s favorite
vegetable lately so this week I’ve been busy researching carrots
for you. This also gave me an excuse to use them in practically
everything I cooked, which I think may have mystified the Carefree
Spouse, bless his heart. We may switch to peas next week, dear,
hang in there.
Anyway, I can’t remember my first carrots, but I do know that they
appeared frequently at the big Sunday dinners my great aunts and
grandmother produced nearly every week for our clan. It was always
a ceremonious and slightly scary occasion when my Great Aunt Helen
dialed back the knob on the pressure control and carefully opened
the cooker to see how the carrots looked. Thankfully, they seemed
to be perfect every time. Because I loved them so much, I was
easily forgiven for not having the same affection for the
horrifying head of steamed cauliflower that occasionally appeared
(:shudder:) since I’d devour my portion of carrots happily and
often ask for seconds.
First cultivated in the middle east in the 7th century, carrots
originally had purple exteriors and yellow flesh. The Anglo-Saxons
included carrots as an ingredient in a medicinal drink against the
devil and insanity. In the Middle Ages, the Dutch developed the
bright orange carrot we now know as the bearer of carotene. White,
yellow and red carrots are gaining popularity again as chefs
discover how the vibrant colors liven up dinner plates and taste
great. The yellow carrots I had in a restaurant recently were
delicious and looked just beautiful alongside my fish entrée.
Here are a few other fun facts about carrots. What Mom told you
was exactly right - carrots are good for your eyes, especially for
night vision. They are an excellent source of antioxidant
compounds, and the single richest vegetable source of the
pro-vitamin A carotene - a single cup contains 250% of the RDA.
Carrots antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular
disease and cancer, may ease the symptoms of lung diseases such as
emphysema, and help keep blood sugar stable. There is as much
calcium in 9 carrots as there is in a glass of whole milk. For the
same amount of calcium in around 9 carrots you would need to eat
over a pound of garlic, and swig a gallon of mouthwash afterwards.
You already know that raw or cooked, carrots taste great, but did
you know that the beneficial Beta-carotene is not destroyed by
cooking? The deeper the orange-color, the more beta-carotene is
present in the carrot, and once in contact with the human
intestine carrots are instantly converted to everyone’s friend
vitamin A. Few people have carrot allergies, fewer than almost any
food.
Carrots keep a long time if stored properly. The trick to keep
moisture away. Store them in the coolest part of the refrigerator,
well wrapped in paper towels or plastic. They should also be
stored away from apples, pears, potatoes and other fruits and
vegetables that produce ethylene gas since it will cause them to
become bitter. And if you buy them with the green tops attached,
be sure to cut those off before storing as they wick away moisture
and cause the carrots to wilt.
Bistro Carrots
These carrots get better the longer they’re acquainted with the
tangy dressing and will stay quite crisp for several days if kept
cool and tightly sealed.
1 one pound bag baby carrots, shredded in food processor
3-5 green onions (scallions), sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon style mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
Small head of romaine or curly lettuce
Toss the carrots and green onion together. Mix the lemon juice and
mustard together. Whisk in the oil. Pour over the carrots and
onions and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Serve small scoops
on lettuce leaves.
One pound of carrots will make approximately six to eight ounces
of carrot juice.
The points of the hoops stuck in the ground used in croquet are
called carrots.
Three Carrots give you enough energy to walk three miles!
Carrot Soup Provencal
Low fat, big taste, one pan & quick!
1 quart water
4 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
Sliced green onions or canned French fried onions
Bring the water to a boil with a pinch of salt, then add the
vegetables. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until very soft.
Drain well, then use food processor or blender to purée soup until
very smooth. Add olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, blend once
more, then return to pan to reheat until serving. Top with onions
as desired.
In the early 1800s, the carrot became the first vegetable to be
canned.
Carrots have just 35 calories per cup!
Curried Carrot Soup
Your choice on how calorie laden you’d like this luscious soup.
The heavy cream makes it bisque-like, the half and half makes it
silken, and the yogurt makes it both calorie frugal and quite
tangy. A dash of paprika looks pretty on top, too.
2 cups chicken stock
1 strip orange zest (no white pith)
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoons orange juice
1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 cup heavy cream OR half and half OR plain yogurt
Salt and pepper
In a medium saucepan, bring the stock and orange zest to a boil.
Add carrots and green onions, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in
the orange juice and curry powder and cook another 2 minutes. Let
cool slightly. Puree in blender with cream or half and half or
yogurt. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold.
The Longest Carrot on record was 16 feet 10 ½ inches.
The Heaviest Carrot weighed 18.985 pounds.
Honey Glazed Carrots
Good to know about if you have something else like a meatloaf or
roast chicken using oven space. These take care of themselves
until the last minute and are a nice balance between sweet and
savory.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Half a sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 pound baby carrots
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 325 and spread the oil on the bottom of a 9x13
inch baking dish. Toss carrots with onion, then add Worcestershire
sauce, oregano, salt and pepper and garlic powder and pour into
baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30-45 minutes or until
carrots are fork tender. Turn oven off and add honey and butter to
carrots, mixing thoroughly. Let rest uncovered in oven about ten
minutes before serving so flavors mingle - just enough time to set
the table and get the kids to wash up for supper.
Howard Hughes always measured every carrot he ate.
In 1990 Crayola added a color called “neon carrot” to its range of
crayons
Morning Glory Muffins
Portable energy for when breakfast is on the run, and a great
snack anytime.
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup grated tart apple
1 cup peeled, grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped dates, raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
In a large bowl, beat milk, syrup, egg whites and oil until
smooth.
Stir in apple, carrot and dried fruit. Combine dry ingredients;
stir into milk mixture until moist. Coat muffin tins with nonstick
cooking spray. Fill two-thirds full.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick
comes out clean.
China produces 274,900,000 MILLION tons of carrots per year.
A teaspoon holds almost 2000 carrot seeds.
Coconut Carrot Bread
I haven’t had time to try this yet, but I aim to very soon, it
sounds lovely!
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups shredded carrots
1 1/3 cups coconut
1/2 cup raisins
Mix flour with sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Add eggs, oil, and vanilla and lemon juice; blend well. Stir in
the carrots and raisins. Pour batter into a greased and floured
9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a wooden pick or
cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool thoroughly on
rack before slicing.
The carrot is a member of the parsley family including species
such as celery, parsnip, fennel, dill and coriander.
The last meal on the Titanic included creamed carrots in the fifth
course.
Happy carrot nibbling and I’ll see you back here next time with a
local celebrity chef interview I’ve been trying to nail down for a
long time! JMc
