French Carrot Salad

This salad is terrifically simple and fast to prepare, but it's also very colorful and has bright, bold flavors that pair well with other simple, fast dishes. I served it tonight with poached fish and fresh snapped green beans for a beautiful, colorful, healthy plate that took about 30 minutes to prep start to finish. During the holiday season, when meals are often heavy and fussy, this is a welcome respite.

My take on this one isn't strictly the French version -- for something closer to what you'll get in Paris, omit the apples and add another carrot or two to make up the volume -- but it's darn close.


French Carrot Salad
 
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard (you can safely substitute stone-ground mustard here as well)
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and shredded
1 Fuji apple, UNpeeled and julienned into fine sticks
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or l tsp dried parsley flakes)
Salt
Pepper

In a small bowl, whisk the orange juice, mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley together until the dressing is completely blended. Combine the carrots and the apple in a medium bowl. Pour the dressing over the carrots and apples and toss thoroughly to coat the carrots and apples in dressing. Chill it for 30 minutes, then toss again to make sure all the dressing doesn't settle to the bottom of the bowl before serving.

Optional garnishes: golden raisins, walnuts, slivered almonds, or unsalted sunflower seeds

Makes 4 servings.