We’re about to dig into a number of spring crops, literally and figuratively. Asparagus, rhubarb, and even peas will be with us soon. While we’re waiting, we can still enjoy a few leftover hardy vegetables from the fall. My favorite of these, the carrot, has an appealing orange hue and a sweet flavor.
I recently learned that carrots have not always been orange. Nor have they always been sweet. They are a crop with a lot of history, however.
Although many ancient wild carrots were white, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, purple and yellow carrots were first raised in Afghanistan and perhaps Iran and Pakistan before 1000 A.D. They spread to Europe in the 1300s.
For many years, an entertaining myth maintained that the Dutch first cultivated orange carrots in the 1600s to honor their prince, William of Orange, who not only consolidated Holland’s independence from Spain (it had been a colony) but went on to become king of England, Scotland, and Wales.
Even the Dutch now admit that the orange carrot pre-dated William, although no one is quite sure where and when it originated.
Nevertheless, according to the “Washington Post,” the orange carrot that we know was frequently used as a symbol to celebrate the House of Orange. It became a popular crop in Holland and spread throughout Europe. Its superior sweetness over the older varieties of carrot no doubt added to its appeal.
Carrots were grown in what would become the United States as soon as the English settled in Jamestown in 1607. Carrot seeds were easy to transport and provided nutrients for the colonists. Today, according to the USDA, carrots are the fourth most popular vegetable in the U.S., after potatoes, tomatoes, and onions.
I have been on diets that forced me to eschew carrots because these vegetables are sweet and relatively high in carbohydrates. Still, in general they are a very healthy food. They are low in calories and high in Vitamin A. They are good for your eyes and your heart. They may help reduce the risk of cancer. And they’re delicious.
I consume carrots in many ways. I often eat them raw; I love their crunch. I frequently roast them at this time of year. They caramelize a bit in the oven and become even sweeter. I also put them in soups and stews.
Here I share my most recent carrot recipe. Looking for an appetizer to serve to guests last week, I decided to combine roasted carrots with caramelized onions and sour cream to create a dip.
I tried a few different spice combinations before settling on a bit of cumin in my dip. I was going to add a little lemon juice but decided the dip worked just fine without it. Less is indeed sometimes more. The bright flavors of the carrot and cumin jump out at you while the onion lends a small savory undertone.
This concoction would go well with just about any dipper. I suggest little slices of bell pepper or celery. You may also try making the little crostini I served.
To do this, just preheat the oven to 350 degrees, take a small baguette, and slice the bread thinly. Lightly apply olive oil to both sides of the slices. If you have an olive-oil spray, feel free to use it, but make sure it is really olive oil and not a lot of chemicals.
Bake the bread slices on a rimmed cookie sheet until they are lightly browned on both sides, turning them once. The exact timing will depend on your oven but should be about 8 to 10 minutes per side.
As a famous carrot-lover used to say, “That’s all, Folks!”
Ingredients:
1 large sweet onion such as a Vidalia
olive oil as needed for roasting and sautéing
salt and pepper as needed
1 pound carrots
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1-1/2 cups sour cream
a few parsley leaves for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
Begin with the onion, which will take longer to cook than the carrots. Peel the onion and cut it into thin slices or chunks. Pour a splash of olive oil into a skillet; then cook the onion pieces over low heat until they get brown and caramelize, stirring frequently.
If the onions seem to be drying out, add a little more olive oil or a little water. The onions may take up to an hour to cook. When they are done, sprinkle a small amount of salt and pepper on top of them, and remove the onion pieces from the heat. Let them cool to room temperature.
While the onions are cooking, prepare the carrots. Wash and trim them; then cut them into sticks.
Pour a splash of oil into a bowl, and mix in a little salt and pepper. (Start with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of the pepper mill; you can always add more later.) Put the carrot pieces into the bowl in batches and toss them in the flavored oil; then place them on the prepared cookie sheet.
When you have tossed all of your carrots in the oil, roast them in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove the carrots from the oven, and allow them to cool to room temperature.
Place the cooled carrots and onions in a food processor. (A small one will do, although you may have to combine them in batches. If you don’t have a food processor, a mixer will do; your dip will just be a bit chunkier.) Pulse the vegetables to make them small, but don’t puree them completely. Pulse in the cumin.
Stir the spiced vegetables into the sour cream. Taste for flavor, and add more salt and/or cumin as needed. Chill the dip for at least an hour before serving garnished with a little parsley (a botanical relative of carrots), along with veggie slices and/or crostini.
Makes about 1-1/2 cups of dip.
Tinky Weisblat is the award-winning author of “The Pudding Hollow Cookbook,” “Pulling Taffy,” and “Love, Laughter, and Rhubarb.” Visit her website, TinkyCooks.com.