--- title: Our story --- [Skip to content](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/carrotsaladyourway#main-content) [![](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CV%20logo%20white%20final%20v1.png?width=2000&height=802&name=CV%20logo%20white%20final%20v1.png)](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org?hsLang=en) - [Home](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/) - [Story](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/about) - [Services](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/our-services) - [Cholsey community larder](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/our-services-0-1) - [Volunteer](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/become-a-volunteer) - [Cholsey advocacy & support hub (CASH)](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/cash-cholsey-advocacy-support-hub) - [Fundraising](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/fundraising) - [Testimonials](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/testimonials) - [Foodbank](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/our-services-0) - [Recipes](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/recipes) - [Contact Us](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/contact) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Home](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/) - [Story](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/about) - [Services](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/our-services) - [Cholsey community larder](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/our-services-0-1) - [Volunteer](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/become-a-volunteer) - [Cholsey advocacy & support hub (CASH)](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/cash-cholsey-advocacy-support-hub) - [Fundraising](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/fundraising) - [Testimonials](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/testimonials) - [Foodbank](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/our-services-0) - [Recipes](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/recipes) - [Contact Us](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/contact) # Carrot salad your way ![Chef using his digital tablet and looking at camera in the kitchen](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/hubfs/Chef%20using%20his%20digital%20tablet%20and%20looking%20at%20camera%20in%20the%20kitchen.jpeg) | **Vegetarian:** Yes | **Vegan:** Can be | **Gluten Free:** Yes | **Dairy Free:** Can be | | --- | --- | --- | --- | Yep. The Great Grated Carrot Evolution. Grab your carrot by the scruff of the stalk and make it yours, an ever evolving opportunity to try something new. This is a good way to experiment with tastes and textures without the risk of losing the bulk of your lunch because you’ve added too much of something it turns out that you can’t eat. It’s also fun, which is one of my favourite ingredients to add to anything. Take a spoonful of your grated carrot to one side and start with the ingredients you know you like. I went in the following order, but please choose your own. Add the extra virgin oil, lemon zest and juice, taste, add a little chilli for bite, taste, pumpkin seeds for crunch, your favourite soft herb for freshness, dried cranberries or raisins for sweetness, pomegranate seeds for a feisty pop, almonds to make you go nuts, then a spoonful of mayo or yoghurt for the creamy coleslaw treatment. Stop at any point, or if there is something you know you can’t eat, don’t start, skip that step, or replace the ingredient with something that gives you the same effect. I prepare carrots for salad in few different ways, one, on the large blade of the grater as I have done here, another is based on an Elizabeth David salad that is exquisite, where the carrot is grated almost to a puree. I also like to cut carrots into ribbons with a vegetable peeler or mandolin for salads, I sell this cut to kids as carrot pasta, it’s lovely mixed with tagliatelle or fettuccine. Carrot salad keeps well and is excellent for packed lunches. **Serve with** fish, meat or chicken as an accompaniment. You can also build the salad into a main course salad by adding cooked chicken, ham, chopped mozzarella, sunblush tomatoes, marinated anchovies, almost anything you fancy. **Prep ahead** The salad can be made at least 2 hours ahead of serving. As a general rule, any vegetable prepared like this will get less crisp the longer it sits once it is dressed. This is not a bad thing, just a different texture. --- #### **Ingredients for 4** 1 large or 2 medium carrot(s) (approximately 200g), peeled (or unpeeled if they are organic) Grated zest of half a lemon and 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar --- #### Method 1. Cut the top and tail off the carrot(s) 2. Grate the carrot on the largest blade of your grater. 3. Toss the carrot ribbons with the lemon zest, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. 4. Taste the mixture, then Season to your taste with salt, pepper and sugar. The sugar is only there to enhance the natural sweetness of the carrots and to balance the lemon. You may not need it at all. | #### **Good things to add to your carrot salad** | | --- | | - Add acid - if you use citrus, add both zest and juice, but you can also use vinegar in its place. Apple vinegar is very nice. - Add a spice - chilli, or ginger or cumin Crushed coriander seeds - Add a super seed – like pumpkin, chia or linseed - Add a fresh herb - parsley, coriander, mint, tarragon or basil… - Add sweet note -raisins, dried cranberries, apricots or mango - Add a crunch - almonds, pomegranate, walnuts, diced green apple - Add a creamy touch = mayo, yoghurt - Another interesting touch if you can’t taste anything and are searching for sensation beyond texture and heat is to add Szechuan pepper, which numbs the lips a little. |   --- [![](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CV%20logo%20white%20final%20v1.png?width=2000&height=802&name=CV%20logo%20white%20final%20v1.png)](https://www.cholseyvolunteers.org/?hsLang=en) Cholsey Volunteer Trust Registered as a charity no. 1197845