Carrot Salad with Kale and Harissa

I made this recipe into an 8-pound salad to send to a potluck. For several days I heard about it through the community. What a hit! (If you are going the pot-luck route, double, triple or quadruple the recipe below.)

Whether you make this for a crowd or for a few family members, you will find this blending of flavors to be a hit for you too. This is the type of dish you would expect to be served in a fine Mediterranean restaurant. The colors are bright and the flavors exotic. You must try it!

This recipe is an adaptation of the Spicy Carrot Salad found in Jerusalem, an inspiring cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. I love those guys!

Carrot Salad Ingredients

• 2 pounds peeled carrots
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 cups finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons harissa (store-bought or homemade)
• 1 heaping tablespoon tomato powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon caraway seed
• 1 teaspoon sucanat or honey
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups shredded kale leaves, stems removed
• Sea salt

Carrot Salad Steps

1. Trim the slim ends of the carrots and save the ends to use in another recipe. If the slim ends are much less bulky than the top ends of the carrots, the slim ends will over-cook. Part of the magic of this salad is that the carrots are cooked, but firm. The carrot chunks hold their shapes.
2. Place the carrots into a large pot of boiling water. Turn the heat to medium low and cook for 20 minutes or more.
3. While the carrots are cooking, sauté the onion in coconut oil until the onion is just beginning to brown a bit.
4. While the onion is cooking, toast the cumin and caraway seeds in a dry skillet until they begin to smell fragrant. Pour the seeds into a spice grinder and allow them to cool before grinding.
5. When the carrots are done to perfection, remove them from the boiling water and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking action. Set the carrots aside to cool enough to handle. When cooled, slice the carrots into a large salad bowl. Slices should be bite-sized.
6. Add the ground spices, harissa, tomato powder, sucanat and water to the onion mixture. Stir to blend and heat through for about 3 minutes. If the mixture gets too dry, add more water.
7. Pour the onion mixture over the carrots and toss gently until every carrot chunk is coated.
8. Drizzle on the olive oil and vinegar. Toss again .
9. Taste for salt and make adjustments.
10. Allow the salad to set at room temperature for about an hour so the flavors can blend.
11. Add the kale just before serving so the kale will be as brightly colored as possible. This salad has maximum flavor when it is served at room temperature and slightly warmer.