Just Picked: It’s sweet carrot time

Crisp and raw, carrots add a snappy texture and pop of color to seasonal sides and salads.

Roasting them only deepens their autumnal hue.

Carrots are most commonly orange. But you can find yellow, red, white and purple ones, too. Place these jewel-toned taproots on the dinner table for fall color, crunch and beta-carotene, which gives them – along with pumpkins and sweet potatoes – their vibrant pigment.

Low in calories, carrots are also good sources of vitamins K and B6 and dietary fiber.

Together with celery and onion, they make mirepoix, a traditional French flavor-base for stews, sauces, soups and stocks. It’s usually made with one part carrots, one part celery and two parts onion. The diced veggies are cooked in fat over low heat and “sweated” to release their flavors with the lid on before liquids are added.

Of course, carrots are always great for dipping in hummus or creamy onion, ranch or garlic-herb dips, or simply crunching on unadorned for a plain and healthy snack.

Carrots were a staple in Mom’s grated, sweet, simple, slaw-like apple and raisin salad. Variations, like the fancier one below from Saveur magazine, include shredded beets, also in season.

Shredded Apple, Beet, and Carrot Salad

From www.saveur.com

1⁄2 cup fresh orange juice

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, mashed into a paste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1⁄4 cup olive oil

3 large carrots, peeled

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored

1 large red beet, peeled

Whisk juices, garlic paste, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. While whisking, slowly drizzle in oil until dressing is emulsified; set aside. Shred carrots, apples, and the beet using the large holes of a box grater. (Alternatively, pulse each vegetable individually in a food processor.) Transfer vegetables and apple to bowl with dressing; toss to combine. Let salad sit 30 minutes.

Raw Root Vegetable Salad

From “Joy of Kosher” by Jamie Geller

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons honey

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or 1 pinch of ground

1 carrot, peeled

1 fennel bulb, trimmed

3 radishes, trimmed

1 medium golden beet, peeled

1 medium red beet, peeled

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped hazelnuts

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pistachios

Freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together the oils, soy sauce, honey, lime zest and juice and ginger in a large bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the dressing to a small bowl and set the bowls aside.

Thinly slice the carrot, fennel, radishes and golden beet on a mandoline. Transfer to the large bowl and toss with the dressing. Thinly slice the red beet on the mandoline and toss with the dressing in the small bowl.

Arrange the red beet slices on a platter or divide them among plates. Top with the remaining vegetables. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts and pepper to taste and serve.

Note: Be sure to use a mandoline to slice your veggies paper-thin.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Spiced Carrot, Orange and Radish Salad

From “Salmagundi” by Sally Butcher

2 tablespoons top-notch olive oil, preferably Moroccan

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon orange blossom water

3/4-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon ras el hanout

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large carrots, peeled

1 bunch radishes, topped and tailed

2 oranges

1/3 cup slivered pistachios or sliced black olives

Few sprigs of fresh mint

Mix the olive oil together with the lemon juice, blossom water, spices and seasoning, and leave for the flavors to mingle for 30 minutes or so.

Grate the carrots and finely slice the radishes (with a mandoline if you have one). Use a thin-bladed knife to cut the peel and pith from around the oranges, working from “top” to “bottom” so to speak. Remove any seeds then cut the orange into think half-moon slices. Arrange the orange, carrot and radish in layers in your finest Fez plate. Top with the pistachios or olives, and dribble the dressing over the whole bunch. Finish with the mint.

Note: Ras el hanout is a spice mix from North Africa, particularly Morocco. It typically includes cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, coriander, turmeric, mace, peppercorn, chili peppers, and sweet and hot paprika.

Yield: 4 servings

Spiced Carrot, Apple and Parsnip Latkes

From “Mildreds the Cookbook” by Daniel Acevedo and Sarah Wasserman

3 carrots, peeled

3 parsnips, peeled

1 apple, peeled and cored

1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled

1 white onion, very finely diced

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 eggs lightly beaten

2 tablespoons finely ground cornmeal

1 tablespoon gluten-free all-purpose flour (or regular, all-purpose flour)

Light cooking oil, such as canola, peanut or sunflower

Coarsely grate the carrots, parsnips and apple in a mixing bowl. Finely grate the ginger and add it to the bowl along with the onion. Mix everything together well and set aside.

Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute until fragrant. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the toasted spices together with the chili powder and turmeric. Add the spice mixture to the bowl with the vegetables, and then add the beaten egg, cornmeal and flour. Mix together well to combine.

Heat a thin layer of oil in a wide skillet. You will need to fry the latkes in batches: drop several spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan, spacing them well apart, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a warm plate lined with paper towels and keep warm while you cook the rest (there would be enough mixture for 6 to 8 fritters).

Divide the latkes between plates and serve immediately. Serving suggestions include cucumber salad and yogurt dip.

Serves: 6 to 8 with 1 latke per serving