This week’s Cook the Book Fridays recipe from David Lebovitz’ My Paris Kitchen is an everyday French classic. David says:
It’s impossible to write a book about French cuisine without including grated carrot salad
Indeed, Dorie included one in Around my French Table that I made a few years ago and of course, my book will have a version too. This is one of my absolute favourite meal components and a tub of this (store bought!) lives in my fridge most of the time when I am in France. Though it is a café classic, it’s also easily found in supermarkets and traiteurs everywhere – I honestly don’t know that if I lived in France full-time I would bother making it!
Grating the carrots is a bit of a pain (though if you are lucky enough to own a mouli-julienne you’ll be laughing!) and if you are making this for a crowd, I’d suggest using your food processor… If you want the authentic soft texture of the carrots, though, a box grater is still best.
This is a lovely light salad to accompany a meal, although to be perfectly honest, I found it a bit bland. Dorie’s was more interesting (hers included nuts and dried fruit). So fascinating that a “simple” salad can be so different depending on who makes it. I know I’ve played a lot with this salad to find a recipe I’m happy to include in my book because it seems there is no right way. As David says:
If you ask 60 million French men, or French women, how to make this salad, you will likely end up with 60 million recipes.
This is a great base recipe to take and play with and make your own!
Get the recipe for David Lebovitz’s grated carrot salad here or on p 123 of My Paris Kitchen.
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Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of “My Paris Kitchen” for review purposes. I was not asked to write about the book, nor am I being compensated for doing do. All opinions 100% my own.
I loved the simplicity of this, personally. I did enjoy the brightness of the vinaigrette against the sweet carrots, but tou are right that it is a great base salad that you can do anything with!
Yes, I guess I’ve eaten too many REALLY good versions, this was just a bit too simple.
Looks like none of us like to grate the carrots! We thought this salad was very nice, and makes a really nice side dish. We enjoyed it!
Ugh the grating of the carrots was a pain!
It was simple, but I think it needed a bit more flavor. I eventually added more vinegar and oil to
spruce it up just a tad. This is like having a coleslaw around, something to just sort of pick on for a week, or more. Yours looks so pretty.
Yes it’s a great all-purpose salad to have on hand!
I punched my dressing up a notch or two. I also found it bland. Think I prefer Dorie’s. (Sorry, David.)
I am glad I am not the only one!
I am glad I made a small amount ( at a time!), I think it tastes better fresh! I made it again just tonight when hubby asked for something extra! So quick to put together especially when there is leftover dressing in the fridge.
It definitely does taste better fresh and smart to save some of the dressing for later.
I found it bland also, which is why I added avocado and blue cheese, it really made a difference! Next time I will add raisins. I will have to try Dorie’s version (or yours 🙂
Yes and it makes a completely different salad too!
I’m surprised I’ve only made this twice because I really liked it. Once with Dorie’s recipe and now with David’s. I liked the strong lemon flavor of David’s but the more mustardy taste of Dorie’s. Next time I will combine their versions for my own.
Yes I played with the dressings a LOT before I found one I liked for my book!
Yeah, I think that’s why I added some vinegar to mine–needed some brightness/acidity to make it pop.
Mardi, I’m really looking forward to getting your cookbook and making stuff with my kiddo!
I definitely think the dressing needed a little help here! And thanks, I love the idea of you cooking from my book with your kiddo!