CARROTS	VEGETABLES - KNOW YOUR VEG

One of the most versatile, reasonably priced and popular vegetables in the UK, carrots have a sweet flavour, crisp texture and a distinctive orange colour. Baby carrots, which are cooked whole, are especially tender and sweet. Choose carrots that feel firm to the touch, have a smooth skin and a bright colour.

How To Use Carrots

Carrots can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw grated carrots are included in salads such as coleslaw and can be added to rice and nut salads or pasta salads. Cooked carrots are a popular accompanying vegetable and combine particularly well with other root vegetables such as swede or parsnip. They can be included in soups, stews and pies. Spices such as cardamom, cumin and coriander and herbs such as parsley and chives go particularly well with cooked carrots. Carrots are also included in a variety of sweet recipes, such as carrot cake and Christmas pudding.

How To Prepare Carrots

Carrots should be peeled, topped and tailed and washed before cutting into rounds, cubes or strips. Baby carrots need to be scrubbed, topped and tailed and washed before cooking whole.

How To Cook Carrots

Carrots can be boiled, baked, roasted or steamed. To boil carrots, bring a pan of water to the boil, add the chopped carrots or whole baby carrots and cook for 10 - 12 minutes, depending on size, until tender. To bake, preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5, place sliced carrots in an ovenproof dish with a knob of butter, 5 tbsp water and 1 tbsp clear honey, cover tightly with foil or a lid. Cook for 50 -55 minutes or until tender. To roast preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a roasting tin and heat in the oven, add sliced carrots, season well and roast for 45 - 55 minutes or until tender. To steam, place chopped carrots or whole baby carrots in a steamer and cook for 10 - 15 minutes or until tender.

How To Store Carrots

Keep refrigerated after purchase.

The information and images for this article have come from www.thinkvegetables.co.uk. It provides full information on all the main vegetables available on the UK market including nutritional information and delicious recipes. The site is a service provided by Mack Vegetables, one of the largest and most successful suppliers of fresh vegetables in the UK, serving a wide range of customers from caterers to major multiples. You can find out more about Mack by visiting the website at www.mwmack.co.uk