Dried Carrots
Dried
carrots are like money in the bank. Dried carrots keep well and reconstitute nicely for use in breads, salads,
and soups. To dry raw carrots: Slice washed, tender carrots 1/8 to 1/4-inch
thick or coarsely shred or grate them. Toss with some lemon juice. Arrange
on dryer racks and dry until crisp.
To dry cooked carrots (which keep their color better): Select crisp,
tender carrots. Trim the green tops, leaving a 1/2-inch tip. Steam until
cooked through,but not mushy -- about 20 minutes, depending on size. Trim
off the tails, the crowns, and the green tops. Slice 1/8-inch thick or
shred. Dry until crisp. Cool and store.
Juiced Carrots
The foundation for juiced recipes, carrot juice mixes well with many
fruits and can be added to soups, salad dressings, and muffins.
Saks
Fifth Avenue Carrot Necklaces
Not that Saks would ever carry these 14-karat beauties, but here's your
chance to make a veggie fashion statement. Wash a few carrots and cut
them into 1/4-inch round slices. Thread a heavy duty needle with dental
floss and slip the slices onto the floss by pushing the needle through
the core. Once you've strung enough carrots, tie the ends together to
form a necklace. Lay it on paper in a dark, well-ventilated place, making
sure the slices don't touch each other. As they dry, they turn into wrinkled
beads. Drying takes a couple weeks.
Carrot
Marmalade
This marmalade is adapted from an Alaskan homestead recipe.
6 medium-sized carrots
2 lemons
2 large oranges (preferably Valencias or another tasty variety)
11 cups water
8 cups sugar
Scrub lemons and oranges well and cut them into quarters. Remove
any seeds. Soak the fruit chunks in the 11 cups of water for 24 hours. Remove
the fruit and cut into very small shreds. Wash, peel, and grate carrots.
Add fruit and shredded carrots to the water in which the lemons and oranges
were soaked. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. Add the sugar and boil
the marmalade until the juice reaches the jelly stage (8 degrees above the
boiling point of water -- 212 degrees at sea level --for your area). Pour
into hot, sterile jelly glasses. Fill to within 1/8-inch of the top. Screw
on the tops, then invert the jars for about 5 seconds to seal completely.
Baby Carrots and Onions in Cream (Irish)
1 lb baby carrots
1 lb small white onions
5 fl oz cream
salt and pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
Wash carrots. Peel onions. Place in pot with 1/2 inch boiling salted water. Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove lid and boil rapidly, shaking
pot to prevent burning, until water is absorbed. Stir in cream and add pepper and salt to taste, if necessary. Serve with a very light sprinkling of nutmeg.
Carrot
Spice Pancakes
These pancakes are smaller versions of a carrot cake dessert, only
you get to eat them for breakfast! To two cups of your favorite pancake
batter, fold in the following ingredients:
3/4 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom (good, but optional)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon.
1/2 tsp. ground ginger or 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Cook batter on a hot skillet and serve with yogurt, maple syrup
or your favorite fresh fruit, jam or jelly.
Carrot
Milkshake
Believe it or not, this is one tasty treat!
3 to 4 carrots
1/4 cup brown sugar or 1/8 cup honey
Assorted spices, as for pumpkin pie
Pinch of salt
1 cup vanilla or plain yogurt
1 cup milk or soy milk
Wash unpeeled carrots thoroughly. Cut into 1-inch chunks, place
in a saucepan and steam until soft. Mash with a potato masher or puree in
a blender or food processer. Add all ingredients to a blender or processer
and blend well. Chill before serving.
The
Best Pickled Carrots
These pickles provide a unique way to serve carrots, especially if
you have a bountiful harvest. Try them as an appetizer, salad garnish, with
rice or as a side dish with soups, stews or hearty sandwiches.
2 lbs. carrots, peeled, thinly
sliced
3/4 cup vinegar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. mixed whole pickling spices
Bring vinegar, water, sugar and spices to a boil and simmer for
3 minutes. In a separate pan, cook carrots in boiling salted water for 10
minutes. Drain the carrots and pack them in hot, sterilized pint jars, leaving
1/2-inch of headroom. Cover with the hot pickling liquid, seal and process
for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. If you don't want to process them,
pour in the hot pickling liquid and let the jars cool to room temperature.
Keep them in the refrigerator. Makes 4 pints.
Now, whenever you grow too many carrots, or get the urge to buy 30 pounds
of carrots when they go on sale, you'll know what to do with them!
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