What is it?

This root vegetable is the workhorse of the kitchen. When used raw, carrots make a crisp and refreshing salad. When cooked, their sweetness intensifies and they become tender. Along with onions and celery, carrots form an aromatic base (called a mirepoix) for many soups and stews. Though orange is the most common color of carrots, this member of the parsley family can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, from purple to white, slender to chubby, tapered to conical, even round. Most of the so-called baby carrots you find at the supermarket are actually mature carrots whittled down to appear younger. They can be convenient to use, since they require little prep, but they won’t have the tender sweetness of true immature carrots, which you can find at farmer’s markets in late spring.

Kitchen math:

1 medium carrot = 2-1/2 oz. = 1/2 cup coarsely grated = 1/3 cup small dice

Don’t have it?

Parsnips, though less sweet, can make an intriguing substitute for carrots, especially when roasted.

How to choose:

Your best guarantee of freshness is to buy carrots in bunches, with their leafy green tops still attached. Even when they’re very large, carrots with fresh tops should still be tender, juicy, and full of good flavor. Look for firm roots and fresh, dark greens. When buying packaged carrots, look for plump, firm, fresh-looking roots with no sign of shaggy hair-like protrusions.

How to prep:

If carrots are young and tender, there’s no need to peel them; the skin packs a lot of flavor as well as vitamins. As carrots mature, their skin becomes a little bitter, so it’s wise to peel off just a thin layer. Very mature carrots can have a core that tastes woody and fibrous; remove it by cutting the carrots lengthwise and then cutting along the sides of the core where it meets the outer orange part of the carrot.

How to store:

Once you get them home, cut off the green tops if still attached so they don’t draw moisture from the roots. Store carrots in the refrigerator; though they do keep well, they lose sweetness and flavor the longer they’re stored. Peeled carrots will dry out faster than unpeeled.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Tamarind-Ginger Carrot Dressing

  This dressing has a slightly mellower flavor than its close cousin, Japanese-Style Carrot-Ginger Dressing. Try it as a marinade for chicken, seafood, or pork.

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  Recipe

  Japanese-Style Carrot-Ginger Dressing

  The fresh, sweet, zesty flavors of this dressing make it an easy match for grilled or roasted vegetables, but give it a try as a topping for oysters on the…

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  Recipe

  Asparagus, Snap Pea, and Black Rice Salad with Gochujang Dressing

  This vegetarian Asian-style salad packs a spicy punch. Smoked tofu adds an intriguing undertone, but baked tofu works great, too. Use a julienne peeler to make fast work of prepping…

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  Recipe

  Quick Beef Stew with Red Wine and Rosemary

  Long-cooked stews coax flavor from tough cuts of meat but require time. This weeknight-friendly dish features rib-eye, which adds deep flavor after only a short time in the stew pot.…

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  Recipe

  Curried Yogurt Potato Salad

  The picnic staple gets a fresh Indian spin with curried yogurt dressing, bright ginger, and crisp vegetables. Serve with grilled lamb chops or chicken kebabs.

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  Recipe

  Chicken Soup with Crucifers and Caraway

  Chicken thighs create a very chickeny broth, but during cooking, they’re not sapped of all their flavor. Croutons take the place of noodles in this hearty soup; be sure the…

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  Recipe

  Oven-Braised Celery Hearts with Pancetta

  Minced celery is an essential flavor base for many soups, stews, and sauces, but sometimes, this aromatic vegetable deserves to be the star of the show, as it is here,…

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  Recipe

  Speedy Sausage, Tomato, and White Bean Soup

  Colorful and comforting, this stewlike soup satisfies, especially on a cold day. There’s a lot of rosemary in the dish, but it doesn’t overwhelm; the sausage and hearty vegetables can…

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  Moveable Feast

  Black Quinoa Timbales with Vegetables

  If you are looking for a dish that will impress, here it is. The black quinoa is formed into a timbale and adorned with poached vegetables and a parmesan crisp. …

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  Moveable Feast

  Burgundian Roast Chicken

  In this dish, chef Jean-Michael Lorain seals the pot with a basic bread dough. It’s a technique that dates back several generations, and ensures a tight seal for steaming.