Carrots

Carrots are a root vegetable from the parsley family that has lacy green leaves and a long slender orange root. Baby carrots are often more tender, but have less flavor because of their immaturity.

There are two non-mysterious things that everyone knows about carrots. They are orange and they help prevent night blindness because they are chockfull of vitamin C. Both of these facts are technically incorrect. Carrots were formerly every color but orange: red, black, yellow, white and especially purple. First cultivated in Afghanistan in the 7th century, carrots originally had purple exteriors and yellow flesh. In the Middle Ages, the Dutch developed the bright orange carrot we now know as the bearer of carotene. Once in contact with the human intestine it is converted to vitamin A.

Because of this vegetable's inherent sweetness, it has been used for desserts and candies long before the ubiquitous carrot cake. The Irish and English make a carrot pudding, the French make a cream with candied slivers of carrots in it, "tzimmes" a sweet carrot stew, is traditional for the Jewish New Year and early New Englanders gave carrot cookies as Christmas gifts. Two billion pounds of carrots are grown annually in this country alone.

Storing and Cooking

Carrots will keep in the refrigerator in a plastic bag up to 10 days. Remove leaves immediately if attached, because they rob the root of moisture. Keep them away from apples which emit a gas which causes carrots to become bitter.

Peeling carrots is optional, but more necessary for older carrots. If they become limp, you can refresh them in a bowl of ice water. bake, boil, fry, puree, raw, saute, steam.

Cook in boiling salted water approximately 5 minutes. Steam 7 minutes.

Carrots match well with: almonds, bacon, basil, beef, brandy, butter, cayenne, celery, cheese, chervil, chives, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, cream, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, honey, lemon, maple syrup, marjoram, mayonnaise, mint, mushrooms, mustard, nutmeg, nuts, olive oil, onions, oranges, parsley, peas, potatoes, raisins, rosemary, shallots, stock, sugar, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, turnips, vinegar, walnuts.