Do y’all remember “carrot raisin salad?” Was this just a thing of Midwestern Luby’s and underfunded cafeterias? Essentially this “salad” was carrots, raisins, mayo and some sugar (occasionally with pineapple)….sound alluring? Yeah, I thought not, but for some reason it’s been on the brain and I wanted to re-design the 1950’s staple into something I would actually eat.
This non-lettuce salad is light yet filling and almost like deconstructed hummus. Roasted chick peas give a protein-filled crunch while the marinated cabbage and carrots provide a naturally sweet bed of veggie bliss.
Ingredients for the slaw:
- 1 lb carrots, shredded
- 1/2 head purple cabbage, finely shaved
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and roasted*
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
*To roast the chickpeas, you’ll need a bit of olive oil, salt and spices – I used salt, sumac and a dash of smoked paprika.
Ingredients for the Tahini Lemon Dressing:
- 2 TBSP white balsamic vinegar
- 2 TBSP tahini
- 2 lemons (juice and zest)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 TBSP sugar (or honey)
- 1/2 small bunch parsley
- S&P, smoked paprika to taste
- Olive oil
- Water as needed
How to make the carrot slaw with tahini dressing:
- Heat the oven to 400 F. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and pat dry as much as possible. Toss with a bit of oil and add salt, sumac or other desired spices. Roast, turning occasionally until crispy (~15-20 mins).
- Shred your carrots and slice your cabbage – use a mandoline if you have one to get even, thinly shaved pieces.
- Make the lemon tahini dressing by combining all incredients except water to a food processor. Process until smooth. Add water, a tablespoon at a time while processing, until you arrive at a creamy herby pourable sauce.
- Combine the cabbage, carrots and dressing and toss to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes before eating. If preparing this dish ahead of time, leave the veggies undressed until you’re ready to eat.
- Just before serving, add the chickpeas and garnish with additional parsley and lemon wedges.
Whiskey and Ginger 