Irish Winter Veg in season part 1

Winter is here, short days and cosy evenings indoors! In this first part of my Irish Winter Veg blogs I thought I would have a look at carrots. I have also shared my recipe for a lovely warming carrot soup , with a few variations to meet everyones tastes!

Did you know, carrots are part of the parsley family? They are cheap and probably one of the most frequently bought vegetables, to cook without carrots seems unimaginable. Their natural sweetness and unique flavour makes them a popular ingredient in most stocks and soups. There are so many different ways that carrots can be prepared and cooked, that is why I have chosen them for part one of my vegetable focus!

In Ireland they are in season most of the year, except March - June. Carrots can be big or small and vary in colour from a pale to deep orange, although there are some white and purple varieties available now.

Carrots are very nutritious and part of this is due to their ability to absorb nutrients from the soil. This then asks the question should we stick to organic carrots to avoid pesticide residue and chemicals? Apparently the nutritional content of organic v conventional carrots has not been proven to be different but there can be chemical residue - for this reason, I always buy organic carrots, however it drives me mad that while supermarkets sell the organic carrots, they are seldom Irish organic carrots!

To obtain the most nutrition from carrots, eat them raw. Carrots are about 10% carbs, consisting of starch, fibre and simple sugars. They rank low on the glycemic index scale which means they don't spike your blood sugars. They also feed the good bacteria in the gut, helping to improve our gut health.

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. They are also a good source of several B-vitamins, vitamin K and potassium.

Carrots are a great source of many plant compounds, especially carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lutein.

Carrot consumption has been linked with reduced risk of cancer and heart disease, and improved eye health. They may be a valuable component of an effective weight loss diet.

Carrots can be eaten raw, stewed, roast, steamed, stir-fried and if boiling use the minimum amount of water as otherwise all the nutrients will seep into the water!

Storage & preparation: Store in the fridge in the crisper section, out of the plastic they may be purchased in. Baby carrots only need to be washed, with organic mature carrots you can eat the skin but it can be quite bitter tasting so I tend to peel them.

What do carrots go with?
Carrots work well with other root Vegetables, they enhance each others flavours! They also work with almonds, bacon, beef, brown sugar, butter, celery, chicken, coriander, cream, cumin, fennel seeds, garlic, ham, hazelnuts, honey, mustard seeds, nutmeg, onions, parsley, peas, potatoes, raisins, walnuts

Raw - In my fermentation cookery classes I always have a fermented coleslaw to taste, try fermented baby carrots, cut into fingers for snacks and dipping, Spiralised carrot is delicious with Moroccan meatballs, another one of Fiona's food for life Recipes! In many Asian restaurants you will find beautifully carved garnishes made from carrots, ranging from butterlfies to leaves to flowers. I always include them on a platter of crudite before a meal or at the beginning of some of my cookery classes.

Soups carrot soup with orange or carrot and coriander soup, root veg soup, in fact carrots appear in most soups! Here is the link to my recipe for carrot soup and some variations.

Salads When I am on self catering holidays in France I always have Carrot Rape in the fridge, it is raw grated carrot, dressed in olive oil and seasoning. My children aren't fond of lettuce but they will eat this salad! Carrots are usually grated for salads ranging from the not so healthy coleslaw smothered in mayonnaise to carrot salad with a thai dressing to Carrot and orange salad or Middle Eastern salad.

Savoury dishes - Glazed carrots, where they are cooked in just enough water and a little butter so that the water is absorbed and the butter coats the slightly caramalised carrots. Carrot and nutmeg tart, fritters, purees like carrot and parsnip, fried rice and stir fries. Ribbons of carrot as a layer to part of a vegetable terine.

Sweet dishes - Carrot cake, often a delicious and light cake, topped with a cream cheese frosting. However it is a lot more sugar and flour than carrot! I haven't written up my own recipe for this yet but in the meantime, this Carrot cake has lots of good reviews.

Dips - Carrot hummus, roast some carrots and blend in with chickpeas and tahini to make a roast carrot hummus.

Juices/smoothies the list of combinations is endless, but my favourite is carrot, apple and ginger juice.

I hope you try out my carrot soup recipe and please let me know if there is any food or food related topic you would like me to include in my blog.

Happy cooking

Fiona