Carrots

Even though carrots are available year-round, there are different varieties grown at different times of the year for better yield and to work with the growing conditions.

Bringing them Home

If you have a full bunch, remove the tops. If the greens are fresh, use them like an herb in a salad, pesto, sprinkle on a meal like you would use parsley, or for seasoning soup stock.
If you are making stock in the future, you can freeze the greens raw. I keep a stock container in the freezer for keeping vegetables to cook later.

Preparation

Peeling carrots is optional, and like most vegetables, there are more nutrients in the outer layer of the root where nutrients pass into the carrot. Give them a good scrub, and they are ready to eat. Of course, this skin is also where they absorb other compounds from the soil, like pesticides and other chemicals. Depending on the source, you get to make your own decisions.

When raw, they are satisfyingly crunchy.

With a dressing, of course. Cut the carrots into sticks and have them in your fridge whenever you have the urge for a snack. I have homemade ranch dressing in my fridge most times, so there are no excuses when you are hungry.
Some of the heirloom varieties, (the purple, white and red ones), are better cooked than eaten raw. If you have a unique cultivar, give it a taste before putting it on a crudité platter.

Here is the easiest recipe to make your own:

Secret Ranch Dressing
(There is no secret. Everyone can make this with just a few ingredients.)

½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt or buttermilk
½ mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon dry powdered/granulated garlic or 1 garlic clove minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients and let sit for 30 minutes, if possible.

Of course, add them to salads. I grate them to have small pieces in every bite. If you want to highlight the carrot, try this carrot slaw. Use the best carrots you can find in a salad like this. There is nowhere to hide.

Carrot Slaw
5–6 carrots, shredded
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt

Combine all of the ingredients and let sit for at least 30 minutes before eating. This salad can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight.

Cooked Carrots

Boil and mash carrots with other root vegetables to add sweetness and color.
Cook them thoroughly until very soft for soup, like the Carrot Ginger Soup here, or try my all-time favorite roasted carrot recipe adapted from April Bloomfield, the Roasted Carrot-Orange-Avocado Salad.

Carrot Ginger Soup
2 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
dash ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
8–10 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups of water
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (parsley, chives, cilantro or dill)

In a large pot, sauté the onions in the oil over medium heat, cook for about 4–5 minutes until soft. Add the ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Stir for a minute and add the carrots and 4 cups of water. Heat the water until boiling. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until the carrots are soft. Blend with an immersion blender and taste. Season with salt and pepper if needed and serve with fresh herbs.

Roasted Carrot Orange Avocado Salad (adapted from April Bloomfield)
2 medium garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground*
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground*
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
6 carrots, sliced in half lengthwise (the long way)
1 orange
1 ripe Hass avocados
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons cilantro sprigs
*You can use ½ teaspoon of ground spices, toasting them lightly in a dry pan will bring out the flavor

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Press the garlic and put the paste in a large mixing bowl with salt, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir well, then add the carrots and toss so they’re coated with the oil and spices. Put the carrots in a large shallow casserole dish in one layer. Scrape out the extra garlic, spices, and oil from the bowl and spread on top of the carrots. Pour ¼ cup water into the casserole with the carrots. Cover the dish tightly with foil (or a tight-fitting lid) and put it in the oven. Cook the carrots for 25 minutes. Take off the foil and keep cooking until the carrots are lightly browned and tender, about 25–35 minutes more. While the carrots are roasting, peel the orange and avocado then cut into chunks. When the carrots are done, take the dish out of the oven and let it sit until the carrots have cooled slightly. Put the avocado, oranges, and carrots with their spices from cooking in a large mixing bowl, add the lemon juice, and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Toss gently, taste for salt, and serve topped with the cilantro.

The easiest way to store for a month

Freshly harvested carrots can store this long in your fridge easily, keeping them in a loose plastic or perforated bag.

Pickle them, and the vinegar in this recipe will preserve them for 2–3 months.

Mexican Marinated Carrots
2–3 medium carrots, sliced
1–2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
¼ onion, sliced
1–2 hot peppers, sliced
2/3 cup vinegar, apple cider, white wine, rice or even plain distilled white vinegar works in this
½ cup of water

Pack the carrots, garlic, oregano, salt, onion, and jalapenos into a pint jar. Pour the vinegar over the vegetables and add the water until the jar is full, leaving about a ¼ inch at the top. Seal the jar and shake to dissolve the salt. Refrigerate and enjoy after at least 24 hours.

The other exception to peeling carrots would be for fermentation. Due to the natural occurrence of botulism bacteria in soil, peel carrots to make sure to remove any residual bacteria. Botulism is not a problem if you eat a raw or cooked carrot, but botulism grows in an environment without air, like a fermenting jar.

Carrot Trivia

Carrots like to grow in cold weather, and most locations in the United States grow carrots in the springtime, but in mild climates, they are best grown in the fall and harvested in the winter after a frost. Vegetables change their cell composition in the cold, to protect themselves from freezing. They turn starch to sugar to lower their freezing point. By reducing the freezing point, the cell walls don’t burst when the vegetable thaws, and we get to enjoy a naturally sweet treat.

Enjoy them at their best

Carrots are naturally sweet and crisp, especially when they are in season and just pulled from the ground. If you have a local source, ask when they are best in your region.
Don’t waste the tops and the time to peel carrots. When you buy them by the bunch, you can take advantage of the whole carrot.
Carrots make the perfect snack to have in the fridge, and they are a good start to introduce someone to the world of vegetables.