Carrots add crunch
Regina Murphy
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Carrots are a great vegetable.
They appear to have originated in Afghanistan, where for centuries they were purple or white. A Dutch horticulturist bred in the orange color sometime in the 16th century, and the English settlers brought the seeds to North America. If you don’t harvest the carrots, you’ll get a nice garden full of Queen Anne’s Lace.
Carrots are rich in beta carotene and vitamin A, and are edible raw or cooked. Keeping some carrot sticks and a tub of low-fat ranch dip in the fridge makes healthy snacking easy. Even cold carrot juice is a refreshing summer treat!
Of course, the advent of the “baby carrot” has changed all our lives! I know they’re not really baby carrots: they’re carrots that have been peeled and cut into uniform cylinders. This process actually allows parts of large, flawed carrots to be used. The baby carrot phenomenon is so popular that varieties are available that only grow to that size, like Thumbelina, Short N’Sweet and Little Finger.
Carrots are a good unifier for dishes; the bright color is stimulating, and the firm texture counterpoints creamier ones. The French mirepoix is a combination of carrots, onions and celery that can be as a flavor base for lots of different stews and sauces. Other flavor bases you might be familiar with are the Louisiana “trinity” (onions, celery and bell peppers) or the Italian soffritto (onions, olive oil and garlic). But today, the carrot is the star of the dish.
You may have had American carrot cake, but what about Italian carrot cake? Anytime I see mascarpone in a recipe I know it’s got to be good. Mascarpone is a triple-cream, low fat, fresh cheese, which is very light and airy. Some people substitute ricotta, but it’s a little bland. I prefer to whip 1/4 cup whipping cream with 8 ounces softened Neufchatel cream cheese instead.
ITALIAN CARROT CAKE
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 lemon, zested, juiced
2 cups carrots (about 6 carrots)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
5 eggs
Powdered sugar, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 375º F. Peel and chop the carrots to make 2 cups. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. Place the pine nuts, 1/2 cup sugar and fennel seeds in a food processor and pulse to mince the nuts. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and the carrots, pulsing to mince the carrots. Add the mascarpone cheese and pulse until the cheese is incorporated.
Using a hand mixer and a large bowl, cream together the butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Add the carrot mixture to the butter mixture and stir until combined. Add in the reserved dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated.
Pour the batter into a lightly greased and floured 8-by-10-by-2-inch baking dish. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Let the cake cool for one hour, then dust with powdered sugar and serve. This cake is dense, moist and tasty!
These next recipes are good side dishes, especially if you’re having company for dinner.
This first one calls for a bain marie, which is not hard to do at all. Get out a large roasting pan that will hold all of your ramekins and place it on the stove top. Fill it one third full of water and heat until just below a boil. You will set the ramekins in this, not touching, and monitor the water level so it doesn’t go dry. This “water bath” helps cook the dish slowly and evenly, and is used primarily for custards and mousses — sometimes even cheesecakes.
CARROT MOUSSE
4 cups carrots
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup cream
4 medium eggs
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Peel the carrots and cut into chunks. Place the carrots and chicken stock in a pan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the carrots are tender, stirring every now and then.
Purée your carrots and stock in a blender (or use the “boat motor”) until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and quickly beat them in for about a minute. Finally, blend in the cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Grease heatproof molds or ramekins and spoon in the purée, filling to within a half-inch below the brim. Cover each one with foil and cook in a bain marie until the mousse sets (takes about 30 minutes). Allow to rest for about 8 minutes, then turn out gently onto your serving plate. Best while hot!
CANDIED CARROTS WITH ONIONS
1 lb carrots, peeled
12 pearl onions, peeled
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup light molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. allspice
Cook carrots and onions, covered, in separate saucepans of boiling salted water for 20 minutes, or just until crisp-tender; drain each well. Cooking them separately helps segregate the flavors in the final dish.
Melt the butter in a large skillet; stir in sugar, molasses, salt, and spices. Heat, stirring constantly, to the boiling point. Add carrots and onions, stirring to coat well with syrup. Simmer, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until nicely glazed.
CARROTS CHANTILLY
1 lb. carrots
8 oz. green peas
5 Tbsp. butter
5 Tbsp. heavy cream
salt & freshly ground pepper
Peel and julienne the carrots, then cook them in boiling water until tender. Add the peas for the last seven minutes or so of cooking (if you use frozen peas, thaw them first). Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the drained carrots and peas and toss until well coated.
Add the cream to the carrots, heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Bugs Bunny would be thrilled to try any of these delicious recipes! Next week we’ll see what Uncle Sam’s wife Aunt Sammy was up to back in the 1930’s. It’s time for the Murphy’s Menu Summer Cook-Off series! There are going to be three contests: Quickbreads, Salsa, and Things made with Pumpkin. The cook-off takes place at the Emporia Farmer’s Market at 7th & Merchant, and everyone is invited to compete! The winner gets a nifty culinary gift bag, including a signed copy of “The Best of Murphy’s Menu,” and will be featured in the Wednesday food section. Give me a call at 342-4800 if you would like to know more. Quickbreads, the first competition, will be on June 23.
It’s time to scour your recipe collections and share with the world your best recipe for picnics. The wildflowers are starting to bloom, it’s camping season and picnics are at the top of the list! What do you like to make for a special meal al fresco for your family? Send that recipe to Murphy’s Menu, The Emporia Gazette, PO Drawer C, Emporia or e-mail to murphysmenu@yahoo.com. Let’s get cooking!