Dairy-Free Carrot Garnishes

Garnish 1

     Cooked carrots got a bad reputation back when most Americans followed the identical recipe (slice, boil until mushy, float in white sauce).  Besides being off limits for anyone allergic to dairy, these carrots were bland. 

     This is a shame.  Carrots can be a beautiful orange garnish on a plate, and there are a variety of seasonings that work well with them (ginger, garlic, coriander, cilantro, parsley...) They can even be creamy without dairy products: carrots are starchy enough for making a thick, creamy dressing in a blender.

     1/4 c. oil (See Oil in the 

          Glossary)
     1 lb. carrots, washed, 

          trimmed and grated
     salt (See Salt in the 

          Glossary)
     3 T. freshly squeezed lime 

          juice (See Juice in the 

          Glossary)
     1/4 c. water
     3 Tb. olive oil (See Oil in 

          the  Glossary)

     2-3 cloves of garlic, 

          peeled and crushed
     1/2 Tb. whole coriander
  

     Heat the oil in a skillet; add the carrots and 1/2 tsp. of salt.  Saute gently, stirring constantly, just until the carrots soften up a bit.  This should not take more than a few minutes.

     Measure a half cupful of the cooked carrots into a blender and add the remaining ingredients.  Blend thoroughly.  

    Stir the dressing into the rest of the carrots. Adjust salt to taste. Serve warm or chilled.

These carrots are cooked enough.

Garnish 2

     Carrots, coconut and turrmeric complement each other brilliantly, and the turmeric in this recipe accentuates the color of the carrots

      1/2 c. canned coconut milk (See Coconut and Milk in the Glossary)
     1 lb. washed, trimmed, grated carrots
     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)
     1/2 tsp. turmeric (See Spices in the Glossary)
     2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
    
     Put the coconut milk, carrots,1/2 tsp. of salt and turmeric into a skillet and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, just until the carrots are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. This should only take a few minutes. Stir in the garlic and adjust salt to taste. Serve warm.