When winter hits it’s easy to fall into a repetitive cooking cycle. I generally roast plenty of root vegetables for dinner side dishes and salads, then mix it up by occasionally puréeing those veggies for soup. This week I wanted something different, food that felt like summer but still incorporated my seasonal winter vegetables.
My Local Roots CSA included some carrots and a large daikon radish which I thought would make a great fresh salad. Using a vegetable peeler I shaved strips off the trimmed veggies, tossing them with fresh parsley leaves and a shallot and Dijon vinaigrette. No cooking required – just tasty, raw and earthy vegetables.
Shave as many strips as you can from each vegetable. Save the inner core of the carrots for stock once you’ve peeled as much as possible, or enjoy it as a kitchen snack. This salad is delicious alongside a pan seared steak or thick pork chops.
Shaved Carrot and Daikon Salad
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
3 tablespoons minced shallot
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound carrots, trimmed and peeled
1/2 pound daikon radish, trimmed and peeled
1/2 cup fresh, whole parsley leaves
In a small bowl combine the shallot, vinegar and mustard. Season well with salt and pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes. Then, slowly whisk in olive oil until vinaigrette emulsifies. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary.
Using a vegetable peeler, shave carrots and daikon radish into long strips. Combine strips along with the parsley leaves in a large bowl. Gently toss vegetables with half of the vinaigrette and taste, adding enough vinaigrette to generously coat. Transfer salad to a serving bowl or platter and serve immediately.