WEEK 20 WILDCARD WINNER

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa

Photography by Sarah Shatz

    BY CORDELIA | SERVES 8 TO 10

A&M: As Cordelia noted, this “classic Moroccan salad” is all about tang and fragrance. It’s one of those dishes that really wake up your senses: the garlic keeps on giving (in the best possible way), the harissa lends both sweetness and heat, and the perfume of the preserved lemon lingers after each bite. We love the plump little rounds of carrot, which grab on to just the right amount of dressing. And, yes, it is even better the next day.

    10 medium carrots, peeled

    Salt

    2 tablespoons harissa

    4 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon (about 1 lemon)

    5 garlic cloves, chopped

    ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

    2 tablespoons white vinegar

    ¼ bunch cilantro, chopped

    Freshly ground black pepper

1. Cut the carrots into rounds about ¼ inch thick.
2. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add some salt. Boil the carrots until they’re soft but still have some bite, about 10 minutes. Drain, let dry, and cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix the carrots with the rest of the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least overnight.
4. Before serving, check and see if the salad needs more salt or vinegar. Serve at room temperature.

Photography by Sarah Shatz

    TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

    If you don’t have preserved lemon, Cordelia gave this suggestion: “You can cut a lemon (including the peel) into small pieces and cook it for 1 minute in a little water in the micro wave.” Discard the water, and you’re good to go.

        You can control the heat by choosing a milder or more spicy harissa.

    ABOUT THE COOK

    Cordelia lives in Seattle and, just after the official launch of the site, she began adding dozens of recipes that caught our attention, from Shakshuka to Orange Pancakes with Poppyseeds. See her Hot Spiced Drunken Apple Cider recipe.

        Her favorite cookbook: “The one I will write one day, and until then Haim Cohen Cooks (Hebrew).”

    WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID

    Kgaines: “Tried this—had great luck with it. I was using a blend of beautiful orange and purple carrots, and in Shanghai, I haven’t ever found the right ingredients for harissa, so I substituted chipotle in adobo. I also added some black mustard seeds that I fried up. A very nice recipe to play with! We ate it both as a salad and as a vegetarian pita stuffing with some feta cheese and lettuce. We’ll definitely be making this again.”