There are many benefits to regularly adding carrots to your diet. The sweet vegetable is made up if 88% water and contains the richest sources of beta-carotene, the chemical that gives fruits and vegetables a yellow-orange pigment that turns into vitamin A in our systems.
While it won’t make you see in the dark, beta-carotene does help with eyesight, as well as boost the immune system and promote healthy skin.
To mark, International Carrot Day – celebrated annually on 4 April – successful alumni graduates from Capsicum Culinary Studio shared their favourite carrot recipes with us.
Charmaine’s chilli carrot soup
- Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme or parsley
• 5 cups chopped carrots
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• ½ cup cream
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 green chillies
• freshly ground pepper to taste
- Method:
1. Heat butter and oil in a pan over medium heat until the butter melts.
2. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened for four to six minutes.
3. Add the garlic and thyme (or parsley) and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
4. Stir in carrots. Add water and broth and bring to a lively simmer over high heat.
5. Reduce heat and simmer gently until very tender, about 25 minutes.
6. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Be cautious when pureeing hot liquids.
7. If you’re using cream, stir it in along with your desired amount of salt and pepper.
8. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread. – Charmaine Lehabe
Franco’s glazed carrots
- Ingredients:
• 1 kg rainbow carrots
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• 4 tbs butter
• 2 whole garlic cloves
• 2 tbs of honey
• 5 g fresh thyme
• 5 g fresh sage
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Method:
1. Rinse the carrots under cold water to remove any soil.
2. Place the unpeeled carrots into a pot of boiling salted water and blanch for two minutes. Remove from water and onto a separate dish and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat up a pan to high and first add the oil, then the butter, garlic, sage and thyme. Add your carrots and toss in pan until they start to colour slightly.
4. Lower the heat to medium, add the honey and let the carrots glaze and bubble for about a minute or two. 5. Check for seasoning. – Franco Buys
Hendrik’s carrot muffins
- Ingredients:
• 520 g flour
• 150 ml oil
• 320 g sugar
• 250 ml yoghurt
• 250 ml milk
• 5 ml bicarbonate of soda
• 20 ml baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 100 g carrots, finely grated
• 4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 130 g walnuts
• 4 tsp vanilla essence
• 5 ml ginger powder
- Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC and place a rack in the centre of the oven. 2. Grease a 12-cup muffin tray with butter or baking spray.
3. In a medium bowl whisk together the oil, yoghurt, milk, eggs and vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, bicarb, baking powder and ginger powder. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the wet mixture. Fold together until the ingredients are well combined.
5. Add the grated carrots and mix thoroughly.
6. Using a spoon, scoop the mixture into the muffin cups until each cup is about ¾ full. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the muffin tray halfway through the baking time until the muffins are golden brown. Insert a skewer and if it comes out clean the muffins are done.
7. Remove the muffin pan from the oven and let the muffins cool in the pan before serving. – Hendrik Pretorius
