Vegetable of the year 2023 : The carrots
The carrot is a cultivated root vegetable, which is botanically of the same species as wild carrot (Daucus carota). It's very healthy and nutritious vegetable.
Orange carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which converts into vitamin A in the body.
They also have a number of health benefits.
- weight-loss-friendly food
- lower cholesterol levels
- improved eye health
What’s more, their carotene antioxidants have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer.
Carrots are found in many colors, including yellow, white, orange, red, and purple.
Carrots are grown from seed and can take up to four months (120 days) to mature, but most cultivars mature within 70 to 80 days under the right conditions.
Other sources :
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/carrots
https://www.voedingswaardetabel.nl/voedingswaarde/voedingsmiddel/?id=599
Check out some recipes with carrots.
Recipe Coal crops - cauliflower dinner
Stew carrot and chicken with cauliflower risotto
Ingredients for 4 people:
Stew :
- 600 g chicken breast
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 piece of ginger approx. 5 cm
- 2 stalks of lemongrass
- 3 lime leaves
- 1 l carrot juice 1 kg carrots
- fresh coriander
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 1 kg carrots
- Tandoori Chicken Herbs
- black pepper from the mill and sea salt
- peanut oil
Risotto :
- 1 cauliflower
- 1 onion
- black pepper from the mill and sea salt
- mace or nutmeg
Working method:
Stew :
Cut the chicken into large pieces. Put the chicken in a mixing bowl and add some peanut oil. Season firmly with tandoori herbs. Mix everything and set aside.
Finely chop 1 onion, the garlic, the ginger and the lemongrass. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large, low cooking pot or stew and fry the onion, garlic, ginger and lemongrass gently.
Heat a pan and scorch the chicken. Then put the chicken in the stew on the onion, garlic and ginger. Pour over the carrot juice and 200 ml coconut milk. Add 6 peeled and coarsely chopped carrots. Add the lime leaves. Place the lid on the pot and bring to the boil, then lower the heat. Let all this simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the meat and lime leaves from the pan and mix the sauce.
Peel the remaining carrots and cut them into fine cubes. Add these to the stew and simmer for another 10 minutes. Then put the chicken back in the pan.
Risotto:
Wash the cauliflower and cut it very finely into a kind of couscous.
Fry 1 tbsp chopped onion in 1 tbsp oil and add the cauliflower with a small amount of water. Season with pepper, sea salt and mace. Mix once in a while and if necessary add a little more water. Cook the cauliflower for about 7 to 10 minutes like a risotto.
Finish:
Sprinkle finely chopped coriander over the stew and serve with the cauliflower.
TIP!
The orange carrot is no longer alone! There is a clear trend to return to diversity. The purple and yellow carrots are back and complete the colour palette next to orange. Take advantage of it!
Ingredients for 4 people:
Carpaccio :
- 2 yellow carrots
- 2 purple carrots
- 2 orange carrots
- 2 candied pieces of ginger
- juice of 1 lime
- olive oil
- black pepper from the mill and sea salt
- 125 g fresh white cheese
- 15 g cucumber flowers
- Some chives
Working method:
Carpaccio : cut the peeled carrots into very fine slices with the mandolin. Finely slice the candied ginger. Put everything in a mixing bowl and season with olive oil, the lime juice, black pepper from the mill and sea salt.
Finish :
Using a spoon, spread the flat cheese over the plates. Top with the carrot carpaccio and finish with the cucumber flowers and chives.
TIP!
Flowers they are beautiful, but also delicious! They bring perfume, flavour and colour to the plate. The important thing is to be subtle and well-considered with them. Placing a large flower on a plate is "not done"! Use small flowers or the petals of flowers to bring an extra touch so that they are really part of the overall (taste) experience.
Carrot snack
Chips of carrot with green sauce, smoked salt, lime & chives
Ingredients serves 4 people:
4 thick carrots with greenery
Sauce :
- 250 g plantbased yoghurt
- black pepper and sea salt
Garnish :
- Smoked salt
- Chives
- Lime zest
Working method:
Sauce :
Cut the leaves off the carrots. Wash the leaves of the thoroughly, cut coarsely and blanch briefly in boiling water with little salt. Drain, squeeze and mix with together with the vegetable yoghurt to make a nice green sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish :
Chop chives finely.
Chips :
Peel carrot. Cut the carrot into very thin slices with the mandolin. Fry them crisp in the deep fryer at 140°C. Degrease on kitchen paper.
Finishing :
Spread sauce on the plate and place carrot chips on top. Season with a little smoked salt, lime zest and chives.
TIP
Take advantage of crackers or toasts to enjoy this preparation.
Carrot Risotto
Carrot risotto with ginger, shallot and carrot greens.
Ingredients serves 4 people:
- 8 thick carrots with greens
- 40 g fresh ginger
- 2 onions
- Olive oil
- Water (or carrot juice)
- black pepper from the mill and sea salt
Working method:
Garnish : Cut the leaves off the carrots. Wash the leaves from the thoroughly, saving about 20 nice tufts for later.
Risotto : Peel the carrots. Wash and cut into small cubes of no more than 0.5 cm Finely chop the ginger and onions. Briefly stew these in some olive oil, then add the "carrot rice" and a splash of water. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 7 minutes until crispy cooked.
Finishing : Spread risotto on the plates and finish with some carrot greens.
TIP
To enhance the intensity, replace the water with carrot juice.
Carrot Spagetti
Carrot spagetti with carrot stew, cashew nuts, shallot and lemon balm.
Ingredients serves 4 people:
- 6 thick purple carrots with green
- 6 thick yellow carrots
- 4 shallots
- 4 lemon balm branches
- 80 g cashew nuts
- 1 parsley root
- Olive oil
- Water
- mace powder
- black pepper from the mill and sea salt
Working method:
Stew : Cut shallot, cashew nuts and 2 of each carrot into small cubes. Stew these together in some olive oil. Add splash of water, as well as pepper, salt and some mace.
Spagetti : Peel the 4 yellow and 4 purple carrots. Using kitchen tools, twist them into long strands. Mix and stew them in some olive oil and a splash of water until crispy cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
Finishing : Divide the spaghetti on the plates, top with some of the stewed preparation and finish with some carrot greens.
TIP
Purple or blood carrots have the highest beta carotene %. So alternating is recommended.
