Simple Carrot Salad

I'm sorry, did you think this was a food blog?  I seem to have gotten a little sidetracked lately what with all the Paris business going on here and then some sort of pumpkin nonsense.  We are now back to our regularly scheduled blogging - meaning, less exciting things than gay Paris and pumpkin patches.

This salad may not be "exciting" but it sure is delicious.  THe recipe perfectly epitomizes Alice Waters cooking and "The Art of Simple Food."  Just grated carrots, a vinaigrette and parsley.  Simple, but perfect.  

This recipe calls for real grated carrots, not carrots grated in your food processor.  This is for the benefit for the maker and the eater.  As far as the eater goes, the thinner, irregular shaped carrots have a better texture, and the dressing adheres to them better.  As far as salad making goes, I can promise you that using a food processor involves about zero fun.  Alice Waters is keen on doing things manually, and I'm learning to love it. Cheesy, I know, but with a pound of carrots, it doesn't take much longer to grate it by hand than to set up the food processor.

Alice Waters said in the cookbook that her daughter always loved this salad and she would  make a small version for her daughter's lunches, changing up the cuts (grated, julienne, or curls from a peeler).  Don't you want your friends and family to eat like Alice Waters' daughter?

I sure as hell do.


Simple Carrot Salad
From Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food

1 pound of carrots, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt
Fresh-ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Peel and grate one pound of carrots.  In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, kosher salt, and fresh-ground black pepper.  Whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil and taste for salt and pepper.  Toss the dressing with the carrots and stir in 2 tablespoons chopped parsley.  Let the salad stand for 10 minutes, and re-taste for flavor.  Add lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed.