Moroccan Carrot & Chickpea Salad

Amarante

Mon, May 09 2022, 7:20 am

This was a really nice variant on a carrot salad and the addition of chickpeas was a nice touch.

Like all salads of this type, it tastes better when the ingredients have "married" for awhile so one can prep ahead of time. Theoretically one could use pre-shredded carrots but my experience is that these tend to be dried out and not very good

I used mint as the herb instead of cilantro. Shallots have a bit more of a delicate taste than an onion but one could also use a Vidalia style sweet onion but either one should be very finely minced as you don't want large diced onion pieces but want the onion to blend into the other components. I find that my mini Cusinart which I keep on the counter is indispensable for small quantities of garlic and herbs and other savories.

Moroccan Carrot & Chickpea Salad

By Jennifer Segal

With fragrant spices, bright colors and savory flavors, this exotic twist on the carrot-raisin salad is a feast for the senses.

Servings: 6 (as a side dish)

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DRESSING

* ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 3 tablespoons lemon juice, from one large lemon
* ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice, from one large orange
* 1½ tablespoons honey
* ¾ teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* ½ teaspoon ground ginger
* ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
* ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
* ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
* ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
*
FOR THE SALAD

* 1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded
* ⅓ cup currants
* ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted (see note below)
* ½ cup chopped fresh mint or cilantro (or a combination), plus more for serving
* 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
* 2 tablespoons finely minced shallots, from one large shallot
* 1 garlic clove, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

* In a large bowl (large enough to mix the entire salad), whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing.

* To the dressing, add all of the ingredients for the salad and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (you might need more salt, lemon or honey, depending on the sweetness of the carrots). Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with more fresh chopped herbs. Serve cold.

* Note: To toast the almonds, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the almonds on a foil-lined baking sheet for easy clean-up. Bake for about 5 minutes, until the almonds are golden.