Moroccan Carrot Salad

This cooked 'salad" uses chermoula, a fresh Moroccan green sauce you'll start using everywhere!

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Chermoula

INGREDIENTS

14 oz carrots, - peeled and cored if the inside is green

1/4 cup chermoula paste (see recipe below)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, - (1 large clove or 2 small)

1/2 tsp salt - or to taste

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne, - optional

1/2 tsp  paprika

Finishing and garnishing (optional)

2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed - or white vinegar

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 preserved lemon, - rind cut in wedges, optional

METHOD

Place the carrots in a cooking pot or frying pan. Add half of the chermoula and all of the seasoning. Add enough water to cover. 

Put a lid on and cook for about 10 minutes or until the carrots are al dente. During cooking, add more water in small quantities if needed.

Add the rest of the chermoula and cook another 5 minutes or so. The water should have been reduced at the end of the cooking process.

CHERMOULA

INGREDIENTS

3 cups fresh coriander (cilantro), - roughly chopped,

1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, - roughly chopped, leaves only

6 to 8 cloves garlic, - peeled and roughly chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp sweet paprika, - powder or paste

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp water - optional not needed if using a pestle and mortar

METHOD

Roughly chop the herbs and crush the garlic, then follow one of the methods below.

Using a Food Processor

Place the herbs and the rest of the ingredients in the blend. Give a few pulses until you are satisfied with the texture. To help with blending, you can thin the mixture with a few tablespoons of olive oil, water or a mix of the two.

Using a Mortar and Pestle

Start by pounding garlic and salt. Add the chopped herbs and spices in batches and pound until you are happy with the texture. 

Note: It is important to chop the herbs properly before crushing them with the pestle, otherwise you will end up with a stringy chermoula. 

Use immediately or store in a jam jar or similar sealed container. If the paste is quite thick, you could top it off with olive oil. Keep in the fridge for up to a week.