I have been gushing in the margins about
carrot salad (pardon! ) since I made it for the first time four years ago. It’s exquisite in its simplicity, just lemon juice, olive oil, a pinch of sugar, some salt, pepper, and rough-chopped parsley, all applied in that old-fashioned taste-as-you-go method that basically guarantees it will be perfectly seasoned when you’re done. (You do this with everything you cook, right? Yeah, I forget too.) And this week, as the carrots are towered high at markets, was the week I finally wanted to give it its due. But then I started thinking about
we talked about in the early days of 2013, which we finished with a lemony-tahini swirl and topped with cumin and sea salt roasted chickpeas and how fantastically filling it was, a real meal in a bowl, and decided we needed a fresh spring-summer spin on it.
I have zero regrets. While no carrot salad could or should replace the perfection of the French classic, this is equally deserving of a place in the annals, right alongside this
a lovely person sent me four years ago. Zinging with lemon, nutty with tahini, flecked with parsley, topped with almost smoky roasted chickpeas and then some chopped salted pistachios, I don’t think I’ve ever had a bowl of grated carrots with so much complexity, so much to consider.
Along with you and your , of course, I think it would be welcome at any cook-out, maybe with some lamb skewers or even just with grilled pita wedges. On a weeknight, you could pile it atop some leafy greens for a more meal-like salad or serve it with the sesame-spiced turkey meatballs from my cookbook (which Orangette did a lovely
on recently). Or, for a lunch salad at work, keep the chickpeas separate and sprinkle them on as croutons before you eat it. It’s not a contest or anything, but obviously, your lunch bowl will be the prettiest.
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Carrot Salad with Tahini, Crisped Chickpeas and Salted Pistachios
1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-ounce can, drained and patted dry on paper towels
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1/4 cup shelled, salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
2 tablespoons water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and red pepper flakes to taste
Roast chickpeas: Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss chickpeas with one tablespoon olive oil, salt and cumin until they’re all coated. Spread them on a baking sheet or pan and roast them in the oven until they’re browned and crisp. This can take anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and firmness of your chickpeas. Toss them occasionally to make sure they’re toasting evenly. Set aside until needed.
Make dressing: Whisk all ingredients together until smooth, adding more water if needed to thin the dressing slightly. Taste
don’t worry if it tastes a little sharp on the lemon, it will marry perfectly with the sweet grated carrots.
Assemble salad: Place grated carrots in large bowl and toss with parsley. Mix in 2/3 of the dressing, adding more if desired. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with a large handful of chickpeas (you’ll have extra and if you’re like us, won’t regret it) and pistachios and dig in.
Do ahead: Salad keeps well in the fridge for two days, however, I’d add the chickpeas and pistachios right before serving, so they don’t get soft.
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Print StoreRecipe: Shaved Fennel, Roasted Tomato & Pistachio Salad with Yogurt Dressing — Recipes From The Kitchn | The Kitchn
Nine times out of ten, when you see fennel salad on a restaurant menu, it is simply shaved with lemon, olive oil and Parmesan cheese — a classic, foolproof combination to be sure, but if I'm going to pay $9 for a side salad, it had better not be something I can make perfectly well at home on a Wednesday night. So when I spotted an unusual fennel salad with roasted tomatoes, pistachios and cream on the menu of Seattle's The Walrus and the Carpenter, I knew I had to order it. And once I tasted it, I knew I had to make a version of my own.
The Walrus and the Carpenter is an oyster bar, and a very good one, so although the assortment of raw, briny, perfect oysters was the highlight of my happy hour visit, the fennel salad was an unexpected second-favorite. It was the cream-based dressing that was a surprise, softening the flavors without making the salad any less crisp and refreshing. That, and the genius combination of fennel and pistachios, which I had never tried before.
Restaurants are good for inspiration, but in the reality of my kitchen, a salad dressed with heavy cream isn't going to be on regular rotation. Instead, my version uses reduced-fat Greek yogurt, for a slightly more tart dressing with the creaminess of the original. Although the dressing looks quite thick going on, it thins out once tossed with the fennel, coating each piece without being gloppy.
The only element that keeps this salad from being a last-minute dinner option is the slow-roasted tomatoes, which take two to three hours off hands-off time to make. But in winter, when good tomatoes feel as far away as a beach vacation, this technique transforms ho-hum hothouse cherry tomatoes into sweet-tart orbs bursting with real tomato flavor. I've given instructions for making more than you' they keep well and you'll find many ways to use them up.
With its thinly sliced fennel tossed with refreshing yogurt dressing and dotted with crunchy bits of pistachio and slow-roasted cherry tomatoes that burst in your mouth, this is a winter salad worth making again and again.
→ Visit the Restaurant: , 4743 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, Wa 98107
Shaved Fennel, Roasted Tomato & Pistachio Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing
Inspired by The Walrus and the Carpenter, Makes 4 servings
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar1 teaspoon lemon juice1/2 teaspoon salt3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1/4 cup 2% Greek yogurtBlack pepper1 large fennel bulb1/2 cup slow-roasted cherry tomatoes (recipe below)1/4 cup shelled, salted pistachios
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice and salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking continuously, until emulsified. Add the yogurt and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with black pepper and set aside.
With a mandoline or sharp knife, cut the fennel bulb crosswise into very thin slices. Place in a large bowl and toss with the dressing until thoroughly coated. Add the roasted tomatoes and mix carefully, so tomatoes don't burst.
Using the flat side of a knife blade, lightly smash the pistachios to break them into pieces and sprinkle over the salad before serving.
Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes2 teaspoons olive oilSalt
Preheat oven to 250°F. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt. Place on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 2-3 hours, or until tomato skins are puffed and lightly browned, but still intact. (A few tomatoes may burst before they are all browned, which is fine.) Let cool for 5 minutes before using. Can be made and stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days ahead.
Additional Notes:
o To make the most of the long oven time, the roasted tomato recipe makes more than you need for the salad. Serve the remaining tomatoes as an appetizer alongside cheese or crudite, tucked into sandwiches (but watch out, they burst!), or in any other salad recipe.
o This salad can be assembled and refrigerated up to 3 hours before serving. For best texture, sprinkle on the pistachios just before serving.
(Images: )
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Anjali is a former private chef who is currently a full-time nutrition student, with plans to become a registered dietitian. She lives in New Orleans with her husband and toddler. You can read more of her writing at .
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