To be honest, I’m not a big carrot salad fan. I like carrots, don’t get me wrong. It’s just like a banana – so portable! So healthy! So delicious, and so crunchy…OK, maybe not so much the last part. But carrot salad. Hm. I’m always worried it will have things like raisins in it, and while I love me a raisin and all its dried fruity brethren, I prefer, nay insist upon keeping them at least 10 cm away from any savoury thing at all times.
This carrot salad however, is a different beast entirely from those raisiny 70s numbers. Not that I’ll judge you if you like them or anything. I mean, my best friend likes dried fruit in rice. RICE! My mum has been known to put fruit, actual fruit, in salad and I still think they’re both quite good people despite that. Open-minded right?
This carrot salad is spicy and herby and evocative. It’s what baby carrots aspire to be when they grow up.
Are you a fruit in savoury things lover…or hater?
Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta and Mint
I got this recipe from my mum ages ago and have made it ever since. She probably got it from Cuisine magazine, knowing her. It’s pretty flexible, I’m sure it would be great with other herbs (coriander maybe?) or spices (sumac and cut down on the lemon?) instead and it lasts a few days happily improving with age in the fridge. If you leave out the cheese, it would be vegan too.
500 grams grated carrots
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 crushed cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon each: caraway seeds, cumin seeds, paprika, harissa, sugar
30 ml (1/4 cup) lemon juice
1/4 cup of flat leaf parsley, chopped
15 leaves of mint, minced
100 grams feta, cubed
Saute the garlic, caraway, cumin, paprika, harissa and sugar in the oil for a couple of minutes over medium heat until fragrant.
Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.
Pour over the carrots and mix.
Add the herbs and mix.
Leave to infuse for an hour and add the feta before serving.
Leave a comment, make my day!
ok.. this one.. I got to try it out… I mean.. it has feta!! there is another cheese here..called anthoturo… it doesnt reaaaly taste like cheese.. more like milk in cubes… like tofu (terrible description…. I know..)
Is it salty also? Even if it isn’t I’m sure the creaminess would match well.
ooo yum! but i demand a hippie version…for us hippies. how do i make this recipe a bit more peace/love/rainbows? but none of those raisins for me either. they are brown, turd-like pieces of yuck. except when they are in a nice biryani.
Don’t wash for a week and then make it.
ah. naruhodo.
what is wrong with fruit in salad?
I hate sweet and savoury together. Hate, I tell you.
I’d forgotten this recipe! Will make it tonight. It is delish and you can see in the dark after eating it.
Well be sure and don’t put any fruit in there.
This sounds delicious! My mouth is watering!
Here, have a serviette, it’s not seemly to drool in public ;P
You linked to my blog, ar ar ar (nerdy blog laugh).
I heart you. I think that gets me more points in google heaven.
I love this line: It’s what baby carrots aspire to be when they grow up. To think of all the baby carrots dreams I have dashed. Just sliced them.
Well, they don’t call you Stabby for nuthin’, Stabby.
I don’t mind fruit crossing over to my savories. Like cranberry salsa is awesome.
Wow, looks so pretty. Wish I could get someone around here to eat like that.
I love fruit in savory things. I put in apples in my salad – does that count? I tried a recipe once for pears in stuffing, but that didn’t work so well.
Like I said, even though I don’t approve, I know a lot of people who do that I love so it can’t be all bad – maybe there’s something wrong with *me* ;P
I understand why this is the carrot salad you come back to each time: why ruin something perfect?
This is my idea of the best way to showcase carrots. Point final.
i make this recipe a bit more peace/love/rainbows? but none of those raisins for me either. they are brown, turd-like pieces of yuck. thanx for the post.
Hah, you should talk to my friend Phoebe, she described them almost exactly the same way.
Well, I just love fruit in savory things. I put in apples in my salad – does that count? I tried a recipe once for pears in stuffing, but that didn’t work so well.
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