Mmm, Carrots...

This is a fantastic recipe from Alice Water's Chez Panisse Vegetables. (Mom, I really do use that cookbook you got me 15 years ago!)

It's great because it uses ingredients you probably have on hand most of the time. And it goes down faster than a fresh bag of Sour Patch Kids (is that just our house?). You won't be able to stop... Did you hear me? I'm talking about carrots, people!

Although it's a smidge spicy, I feel like this could be a good recipe to get kids to eat their carrots. Try it and report back please.

Spicy Carrot Salad
2 lbs. carrots (or whatever you have)
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp cayenne
3/4 cup olive oil (or less if you want)
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

Peel the carrots and cut into julienne ("quick work with a Japanese mandolin" says Alice. If you don't own a mandolin, see my Le Creuset posting about becoming an adult. Just kidding, try using a vegetable peeler and just keep "peeling" the whole carrots into thin little slices. Or just chop them thinly.)

Mash the garlic clove with the salt, and mix it with the red wine vinegar, lemon juice and cayenne. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste for seasoning and add more acid, salt or cayenne if needed. Toss with the carrots, add the chopped cilantro, and serve.

Serves 4.