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Shaved Carrot Salad with Poppy Seeds and Parsley (Zanahorias Dulces)
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This colorful, eye-catching salad is our version of one that we sampled in Buenos Aires at a tapas stall that reflects Spain’s lingering influence in Argentina. The flavors are salty, sweet and tangy, with nutty notes from toasted poppy seeds and grassiness from fresh parsley. Chef Diego Fernandez of De Lucía Tapas at the Mercado San Telmo showed us how the dressing ingredients are heated briefly in a skillet, then the carrot shavings added and cooked just until barely tender. We further simplified by microwaving the carrots—they cooked faster and more evenly. A sharp Y-style vegetable peeler works well for shaving the carrots into ribbons, but you also can use a mandoline. Either way, choose large, thick carrots—not the slender variety sold in bunches—because they're easier to shave. And stop shaving once you reach the fibrous cores. Carrots vary in sweetness, so you may need to add a little extra sugar, lemon juice and/or salt at the end to find just the right flavor balance.
4
Servings
Don't overcook the carrots in the microwave. The ribbons should be wilted but still have texture; they shouldn't be completely tender and limp. And be sure to let the carrots stand for 15 minutes after dressing to absorb the flavors.
30 minutes
15 minutes active
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4 or 5
large carrots (about 1½ pounds), peeled
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Kosher salt
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1
tablespoon poppy seeds
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¼
cup extra-virgin olive oil
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2
medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
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2
star anise pods
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¼
cup lemon juice, plus more as needed
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1
teaspoon white sugar, plus more as needed
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½
cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, torn if large
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01Use a Y-style peeler or a mandoline to shave the carrots from top to bottom into long, wide ribbons, rotating as you go. Stop shaving when you reach the core; discard the cores. Place the ribbons in a large, microwave-safe bowl and toss with ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and microwave on high until wilted but still crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring once halfway through; set aside, uncovered, leaving any liquid in the bowl.
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02In a small saucepan over medium, toast the poppy seeds, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly darker in color, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. In the same saucepan over medium, heat the oil, garlic and star anise, stirring occasionally, until the garlic begins to brown at the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce to low, add the lemon juice and sugar, then whisk until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, for 3 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic and star anise.
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03Pour the warm dressing over the carrots and toss. Let stand for 15 minutes. Add the poppy seeds and parsley, then toss again. Taste and season with additional salt, lemon juice and/or sugar, then transfer to a serving dish.
Is there an alternate cooking method that you would recommend? My microwave is very small and I'd like to double the recipe. I was thinking of using my steam oven.
This was OK, but not great. I used my best spanish olive oil, maybe more lemon or a zested orange and the juice would punch it up. I served this as a side to turkey chili with a faux-tato salad made with steamed caulifower. The consensus was the cauliflower dish was the winner of the meal. I like the color pop.
Black or white poppy seeds? Thanks!