Tangible sunshine – Orange and Carrot Salad With Ginger
Isn’t it strange how you sometimes can go through with decisions and sometimes it just doesn’t work at all. It is as if your character, no I should say my character because I don’t want to blame you for my shortcomings, just don’t work well all the time. They say you have to be motivated but to me that argument isn’t properly true. Sure, you need to be convinced and motivated but would you take certain decision without being any of that? I don’t but still, sometimes my character isn’t strong enough or just doesn’t exist at all. On vacation.
I’m talking about eating. Or rather, eating too much, a problem I imagine isn’t unusual for food bloggers; we are all intensely interested in food and cooking and most of us don’t just post about what we had for dinner or lunch although we usually eat what we post but only after having taken the necessary photos of the dish we are blogging about. When I work, I never eat what I shoot but when I do something for Lucullian, it is the contrary – I always eat what I shoot. And more, because I toddle around here, in the kitchen and it is so easy, oh so easy to have a bite here and a bite there and then it becomes a habit and I just can’t stop. And that is what happened this autumn and over Christmas. I will not go into details here but I can tell you that until about three weeks ago, my character did not collaborate with my own wishes but then, suddenly it did! I decided to not eat any cakes or sweets (but I still have my daily ration of two small squares of dark chocolate), much less bread and over all letting my jaws rest more between meals.
Today’s recipe is therefore part of my ongoing regime but it is also an antidote to dreary January, this Orange and Carrot Salad With Ginger is fresh, crunchy and healthy, not to mention it’s colourful appeal – it is like tangible sunshine! I love raw carrots and sliced into paper thin coins, they do give that crunchy feel to the salad which makes it feel fresher but if you prefer, you could quickly steam the slices to make the whole a bit softer. The honey I added can obviously be left out but I recommend it, it does make a difference!
ORANGE AND CARROT SALAD WITH GINGER
1 serving
1 orange
1 small carrot
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
juice of half an orange
1 tsp candied ginger, finely chopped
runny honey
Peel the carrot and slice it as thinly as you can, I used a mandoline to get really thin slices, and put the slices in a small bowl together with the fresh orange juice and the grated ginger. Leave to marinate for a short while.
Peel the orange and skin it, i.e. you cut off the skin/outer membrane, before you slice it thinly.
Put orange and carrot on a plate or in a bowl, sprinkle the candied ginger over and then a little drizzle of honey on top.
Dear Ilva, You said so much in one little paragraph. After all the holiday cooking and baking I find myself “tasting” my recipes…and much too often. I need to do as you have advised and I will. ox, Gina
Ilva,
three weeks of the new regime, and you are stilling going strong!
Congratulations. xxx
The salad looks like another winner! I may try it with the ingredients I have at hand, fennel instead of carrots.
I still make your yogurt with saffron and spicy honey: withhttp://www.luculliandelights.com/2007/04/saffron-yogurt-with-spicy-honey-and-puffed-quinoa.html (I know there’s is a more recent link, but I like the pictures in the original ones so much!).
Maybe you should republish the recipe, for readers who have not yet encountered that immensely tasty concoction.
I went ahead and made the salad, with fennel instead of carrots (none in the house): http://www.viennaforbeginners.com/2013/01/fennel-and-orange-salad-ilva-somestimes.html
Thank you for the recipe and inspiration. As you can see from my photo, it’s a dull, grey afternoon that truly needed brightening. Grazie!
I’ve often wondered how you manage to stay so slim and trim. Of course your recipes are largely healthy and simple, so that explains it – but all that time in the kitchen and driving your kids around when you’re not on a shoot – I’d say your willpower and decisiveness is evident everyday! Not all bloggers can stay the course while immersed in the world of food!
Great idea for a bright and sunny salad. This is a keeper.
Hi Ilva, this looks interesting, I’ll try and make something similar one day!
What a beautiful sunny salad! It does look like sunshine on a plate!
Sunshine on a plate = perfect! a great antidote to this grey grey winter. thanks for the sunshine ;D
Me and my friend did something very similar once. We cut carrots and oranges into small pieces and sprinkled some black salt upon it. It was indeed a great salad.
Makes me reminisce and at the same time crave for summer. This would be a simple yet perfect way to greet summer.
Oh how beautiful and delicious!