Do your kids cringe at the sight of cooked carrots? One of the easiest and most delicious Moroccan salads is this cooked carrot salad served at room temperature and dressed with a simple vinaigrette.
When I was growing up I, like many other kids, wasn’t too fond of cooked vegetables. But, fresh vegetables well that was another story. Every summer my grandpa grew a huge backyard garden. He left one corner for my sister and me to plant our own garden. He grew row after row of carrots, beans, tomatoes, rutabaga (which I didn’t even realize was a turnip until recently), sweet corn, and peppers.
He had a good friend who had a much larger farm and planted even more produce. My grandparents happened to live on the major highway that went through our small town. So, every summer grandpa had tables set up on the front lawn to sell whatever was ready to pick. He also went out and picked wild fruit, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries all summer long.
In the backyard, apple and pear trees were picked and the fruit sold, as well as stalks of rhubarb. I used to love spending the morning sitting with grandpa and selling produce. Me and my sister got to eat whatever we wanted, just pulling it off the table. Grandpa would wipe it off on his shirt and peel or cut it with his jack-knife on the spot.
When we were ready to go home, grandpa walked us across the highway and we peddled our bikes the few blocks to our house. We had so much space to roam, and to think this was only 15-20 years ago!
When I began shopping in Moroccan markets for produce it immediately brought back these memories of summer with my grandpa. Carrots stuck with me. I used to grab a carrot from the table, dip it into the water “wash” bucket and wipe it off to eat. Raw of course. I make this carrot salad by undercooking the carrots. MarocBaba always asks for them to be cooked softer but I like them to have a bite, to bring back those childhood memories.
YIELD:4 SMALL SERVINGS
Moroccan Carrot Salad
This is a very simple Moroccan carrot salad often served with several other salads before the main meal.
- 1/2 lb carrots, peeled
- 1/4 cup vinegar (any kind will work)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
- Peel the carrots and remove the ends.
- Boil a pot of water and add the carrots. Cook for 12-15 minutes until carrots are soft to bite through but not mushy.
- Drain the hot water and immediately put carrots into a bowl of cold, ice water.
- In a bowl whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Cut the carrots into rounds of similar size.
- Dress the salad with the dressing. They should not be swimming in liquid, only add enough to lightly coat the carrots.
- Serve cold or at room temperature.
