Recipe

Heirloom Carrot Salad w Dates, Almonds & Herbs

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Heirloom Carrot Salad w Dates, Almonds & Herbs

Photo by Aliwaks

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Autumn Salad

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Carrot Recipe
jvcooks's Testing Notes: Bright and refreshing, Heirloom Carrot Salad with Dates, Almonds and Herbs offers a delicious variety of textures and flavors. Ribbons of carrots, peppery arugula and mint are beautifully...
Bright and refreshing, Heirloom Carrot Salad with Dates, Almonds and Herbs offers a delicious variety of textures and flavors. Ribbons of carrots, peppery arugula and mint are beautifully balanced. Toasted cumin almonds and dates add a nice contrast. All get tossed in a sweet and tangy vinaigrette flavored with honey, shallots, garlic and thyme.

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Chef
Aliwaks's Notes: My Aunt Sandy told me about a fabulous carrot salad she made from a recipe some where and when it came time to make it I forgot most of the recipe but remembered the gist of it. You could...
My Aunt Sandy told me about a fabulous carrot salad she made from a recipe some where and when it came time to make it I forgot most of the recipe but remembered the gist of it. You could make this with regular super market carrots but it is stunning with multicolored heirloom carrots. I served it first as a salad side dish as part of a buffet with a smokey garlicky pork roast centerpiece with but would be equally wonderful as a first course on it's own or with seared sea scallops, grilled shrimp or a warmed disk of goat cheese. Slivers of preserved lemon, green olives or fresh pomegranate are lovely additions. - Aliwaks

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Serves 4 or 6 or 8

Vinaigrette:

2/3 cups Olive oil Ask a question about this ingredient

1/3 Walnut , almond or grapeseed oil Ask a question about this ingredient

1/3 Sherry vinegar Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon date molasses, dark honey or grade bmaple syrup Ask a question about this ingredient

1 squeeze lemon juice Ask a question about this ingredient

1 shallot minced Ask a question about this ingredient

.5 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves Ask a question about this ingredient

1 really small garlic clove minced Ask a question about this ingredient

for the salad:

1 cup almonds, marcona or blanched Ask a question about this ingredient

1 teaspoon ground cumin Ask a question about this ingredient

1 teaspoon lemon juice Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon powdered sugar Ask a question about this ingredient

2 bunches the most beautiful carrots you can find Ask a question about this ingredient

.5 cups slivered dates Ask a question about this ingredient

2 cups baby arugula Ask a question about this ingredient

1 cup mixed mint leaves, italian parsley, nastursium flowers (if you can find them) Ask a question about this ingredient

Preheat oven to 350
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toss almonds with cumin lemon juice & salt, put on baking sheet and toast
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when toasted toss almonds with powdered sugar, crush almonds slightly with chef knife, they should look rustic..reserve (can be done a day ahead)
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To make Vinaigrette...combine shallots, garlic, thyme, lemon juice, date molasses, salt & pepper, slowly whisk in oils till emulsified..taste, adjust seasoning to taste (can be done a day ahead)
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wash carrots, peel off & discard first layer if necessary, set bowl of ice cold water in sink or on counter
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using vegetable peeler continue to peel carrots down to the core creating ribbons, let carrot ribbons fall in to cold water to keep crisp. When all the carrots have are finished, drain and dry well (can be done a day ahead, if so keep carrots in water in fridge till ready )
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wash & dry arugula & herbs
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to serve: combine carrots with 2/3rd of vinaigrette, almonds & dates and toss well, (can be made about 1 hour ahead of time)..toss carrots with arugula and herbs, adjust vinaigrette amount to taste.
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