The Common Carrot
Ah, the common carrot. This ubiquitous vegetable, long a mainstay on crudité trays, a flavoring staple in the soup pot, a ridiculed diet food and a juicing favorite, really deserves higher regard as a vegetable of beauty and delicacy in its own culinary right.
For a long time the only carrots we knew were orange ones. Originally, wild carrots were purple, and now we are coming full circle. CSAs and farmers’ markets are growing and selling “rainbow” carrots — roots of brilliant purple, reddish orange, golden yellow, creamy ivory, bright maroon, even white. They are all equally delicious, and healthful too — the same chemical compounds that give these carrots their beautiful colors also contain valuable phytonutrients and antioxidants.
Here, some more carrot knowledge to whet your appetite:
- As with many vegetables and fruits, the greatest concentration of nutrients lies within the outer skin. If the carrots are conventionally grown, then they should be peeled, as this is where the most pesticide residue lurks as well. But if they are organic, skip the peeling.
- The feathery tops of carrots are edible, with a sharp, bright flavor. Finely chop and scatter them over soups, salads or side dishes. They can be a bit strong or bitter, so go easy on them.
- It is a little secret that carrots are low in calories and very rich in vitamin A (at least the orange ones). But they are also great sources of biotin; vitamins C, K and B-6; potassium; manganese; and dietary fiber. What gives them their distinctive color is beta carotene, an antioxidant renowned for its benefits to cardiovascular and eye health.
- Carrots keep well unwashed in a perforated plastic bag for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator vegetable crisper. Remove the tops before storing.
- In recent years, the phenomenon of the bagged baby carrot has emerged. These are not true juvenile carrots; they were invented by a California farmer in the late 1980s, who was seeking a way to use his blemished, imperfect specimens. He adapted a commercial green-bean cutter and a potato peeler to cut and peel carrots into uniform lengths. The resulting product, as we all know, has been an astounding commercial success.
