This grated carrot salad recipe that I found on Jennifer Segal’s Once Upon a Chef web site is just amazingly delicious. I was looking for a fresh carrot recipe, and I just didn’t want the old carrot with raisins combination. (In truth, I have always found a carrot and raisin salad moistened with a slightly sweet dressing underwhelming, to say the least.) But when I studied the ingredients in Jennifer’s recipe for this French favorite, I was hooked. I mean really, who doesn’t like a fabulous Dijon mustard and fresh lemon juice vinaigrette to begin with? And fresh Italian parsley? (I use fresh parsley as often as possible. And to think people used to use parsley only as a garnish!)

So for yesterday’s JazzVox pre-concert meal, I decided to take a chance and serve this salad. Well, I am here to tell you, it was a success. So much so that several people asked for the recipe. And why wouldn’t they? It’s a very economical salad to prepare and contains a vegetable that is crunchy, tasty, a wonderful color, and highly nutritious. Carrots, as everyone knows, are a very good source of beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K, potassium, and antioxidants. Carrots are also associated with lowered cholesterol levels, improved eye health, and a reduced risk of cancer. I say everyone knows about carrots, because didn’t all of us have parents that told us that carrots were good for our eye sight? Along with the fact that spinach would help us grow up big and strong! And by the time my children had young children of their own, good old broccoli was also added to the “vegetable manipulation” list. (Broccoli is supposed to make us smarter! Never did me any good in that regard, and George H. W. Bush knows I ate and still eat a lot of this cruciferous vegetable!) But I digress….

So if you want a taste treat that uses some very humble ingredients and is very easy to prepare, this is the recipe for you. And it’s French! What more is there to say?

• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
• 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. honey
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb. carrots, both ends removed, washed and dried (peeling not necessary)
• ¼ c. roughly chopped fresh parsley
• 2-3 finely chopped green onions

Combine the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a small jar. (Dressing can be made several days in advance.) Grate the carrots in a food processor or on a hand grater. Dry on a paper towel lined baking sheet for about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add enough dressing to moisten the carrots. Don’t overdress the salad; the carrots should not be swimming in dressing. Stir in the parsley and green onions. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for an hour or two before serving. Add salt and/or lemon juice, if needed, just before serving.