Carrot & Mint Salad with Currants

[from SAFM cookbook]

This recipe looks so pretty, and tastes AMAZING, even though it’s very simple. Just go ahead and make a double batch—it keeps fine in the fridge for a couple of days. You might be making this every week, just wait and see. This isn’t one of those recipes that you can skip the mint, though. It’s definitely mandatory. The recipe is based on one from Peter Berley’s Fresh Food Fast. I love this salad with the Indian-spiced red lentils with zucchini, or the spicy roasted cauliflower with red peppers and cumin. It’s also great as a side salad with sandwiches—like the toasted cheese sandwich with sundried tomatoes, red onions, and crisp romaine lettuce with balsamic dip.

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1-2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives (or scallion greens) coarse sea salt or kosher salt 1 pound carrots, peeled (if the peels are tough) and grated ¼ cup dried currants

1. Steam the currants over boiling water for 5 minutes. 2. In a salad bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, mint, chives, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the carrots and currants and toss well. 3. Add more salt to taste. If the carrots weren’t very sweet to begin with, feel free to add a drizzle of maple syrup, honey, or sugar to bring the carrot flavors up and make the mint sparkle.