Carrot, Cranberry & Pumpkin Seed Salad

Here is my version of a grated carrot salad. This is all about the carrot. Hit the Farmers Market, raid your neighbors garden and get some super sweet tender carrots. This salad has some sweet and tart, a little chewy from the cranberry and a nice salty crunch from all the tamari roasted pumpkin seeds. And you get to eat this with your hands, bonus.

Makes enough for two as a salad four as an appetizer

• 2 cups of finely grated carrots
• 1/2 of a crisp apple grated fine
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries rough chop
• 2 scallions chopped fine
• little chopped parsley or cilantro
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• wedge of lemon
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon more or less of vegetable oil, not olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste ( meet me at the bottom of the page for an explanation of what "to taste means"

I used a very fine grater for my carrots and apples. Not microplaner fine but pretty close. Grate them onto a half sheetpan so you capture all the juices. No need to peel your apple before grating. Just quarter, remove seeds and grate the flesh holding onto the skin side. The skin will not go thru the grater and end up in your hand.

Toast pumkin seeds in a skillet, I use a 350 oven for 5 minutes, add the tamari to the hot pan with the seed and toss, back in the oven for another minute or two to dry out.

In a bowl add the carrots, apple cranberry, scallion, parsley or cilantro and make the dressing. Zest the lemon and squeeze in the juice, add the honey, oil and season.

To serve Put some romaine hearts on the plate, mound the salad and sprinkle liberally with pumkin seeds.

What does season to taste mean? It doesn't mean season until you taste salt. It means to season your food and taste it as you go. Can you pick out all the flavors? Is it coming into balance? It's best to season a small amount first. Take some out of the bowl and into a smaller bowl and start seasoning. When you get just the right flavor you repeat the process with the larger batch. I've worked with one Chef who had the magic touch with seasoning. I would watch her add a little more, taste, a little more, stir, wait, taste. Perfect. You can learn it too. Remember always use good salt.

Comments

[Trish R]

How does one choose "good salt"? I'm fairly intimidated by the wide selection, and price range, of salt these days, not to mention the grinders, salt pots, tiny mortar and pestles - you can see where I'm going. I usually have a carton of Morton's and a box of kosher salt. I've been using the kosher way more than the Morton's lately (except baking, where I stick to the table salt for measuring). But while I'll gladly take up more of my husband's side of the closet to own multiple pairs of black high heels, I just don't feel the same about having a big selection of salt in the cabinet. Can you steer me towards one or two really "good" salts that would cover the bases?

[Gerry Nooney]

Kosher salt is good salt, regular sea salt fine grind is good for everyday uses including baking, a more coarse grind is good to put on meat and roasts. Iodized table salt is bad salt. The fancy sea salts from specific regions around the world like France, Mauldon, England, even coastal Maine are always good gifts to get in your stocking.