Carrot Walnut Salad with Walnut Oil and Dijon Vinaigrette

I have nothing against lettuce. I love lettuce, but most of the salads I eat at home are primarily vegetables other than lettuce and this oh-so-simple but oh-so-tasty salad caught my eye. Also, it gave me a opportunity to use the Messermeister julienne-ing thingy I used for the zucchini slaw.

Although you can use all extra-virgin olive oil - or any other salad oil - the walnut oil specified in the recipe is delicious. The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons each of walnut and olive oil but I found that was a little less tart than I prefer. If this dressing is too tart for your taste, add an additional tablespoon of olive or walnut oil. I also thought that it called for more walnuts and a little cumin.

This should be made at least two hours before serving and preferably you can make it the night before. You can also shred the carrots on a box grater but they will be a little wetter and will not take as long to marinate.If you shred them, squeeze out some of the moisture before you dress them. This also cuts down on the time for marination and two hours should suffice.

Recipe: Carrot Walnut Salad with Walnut Oil and Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

Adapted from: Serious Eats (Kerry Saretsky)

Serves 4 as a side
You can also add some raisins (dark or golden, I prefer the latter), plumped slightly in warm water

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons walnut oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• Salt and pepper
• 2 lbs carrots, finely julienned (or shredded - see head notes), approximately 3" long, or the length of one-half of a carrot
• 8-10 walnut halves, broken in half lengthwise

Preparation:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, walnut oil, olive oil, cider vinegar, cumin, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Toss the carrots with the sauce, and top with chopped walnuts. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving (longer is better - overnight is best)
• Prior to serving, remove from the refrigerator. The salad should be served only slightly chilled, or at room temperature.