Rainbow carrot and courgette salad

I’ve made ribbons of carrot and courgettes lots of times before, each with some degree of similarity, but I’ve not made a recipe for one before, and not made one specifically for a certain type of dish. This salad recipe is designed to go with my harissa cod recipe, but could fit well with lots of other middle eastern foods. If you can, try and find colourful versions of the ingredients – it makes the salad look amazing. It’s a fresh and vibrant dish, but the cinnamon and spices in the dressing I think helps to give it a distinctive middle eastern flavour profile. Here’s the recipe folks:

Ingredients (serves 2/3 as a side dish):

• 2/3 small carrots (different colours if you can get them)

• 1 large courgette (yellow if possible)

• Small handful of mint leaves, finely chopped

For the dressing:

• 1 tbsp cider vinegar

• Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

• Small pinch of cinnamon

• Small pinch of chilli flakes

• Small squeeze honey

• Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Combine all of the dressing ingredients (except the salt, pepper, chilli flakes and oil) in a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Once it is up to heat, remove from the heat, and leave to cool.

2. Wash and peel the carrots. Once all the skin is removed, continue to peel to give shavings of carrot. Once you hit the core of the carrot, turn it over and peel from a different side. Keep doing this until there is no carrot left, and set the shavings aside.

3. Wash the courgettes, and then continue to peel in the same way as the carrots, until there is no courgette left. Add these to the carrots and set aside.

4. Add the mint leaves to the carrot and courgettes, and add in the dressing, seasoning with the salt pepper and oil. Mix altogether and serve.

Really simple side dish this one, but will give such good relief to any rich middle eastern/Mediterranean dish. I think it would go really well with gyros, shawarma or a tagine to provide an alternative, fresh side dish. Let me know your thoughts, and as always if you make it, tag me in the results on instagram @OTCooks_Eats.

Cheers guys!

OT

x

#MiddleEastern #fresh #Salad #Mint #Carrots #Spices #courgette #citrus