Warm Up This Winter With British Carrots

Friday 2nd July 2010

Cook Up Some Delicious Winter Warmers

Carrots are the perfect ingredient for wholesome winter dishes such as stews, soups and pastas and they’ll keep you looking healthy even once the sunshine has left us.

From June when the new British season starts, British Carrots are available in the shops for around 11 months, right through to May of the following year, which is fantastic news for those of us who like to buy seasonal British produce.

Carrots are extremely good for you too. They are high in fibre and naturally low in calories, fat, saturates and salt. They contain the nutrient beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, which is needed for growth and healthy hair and skin as well as good vision. Winter recipes can bring the nutritional best out of carrots too as eating cooked carrots can actually be a bonus. Research published in the European Journal of Nutrition showed that more beta-carotene was absorbed from cooked, puréed carrots than from raw ones2.

Use your carrots up as quickly as possible after buying to get the maximum nutritional value out them. This shouldn’t be hard as they are such a versatile ingredient. Jamie Oliver recommends boiling, roasting or even mashing them with orange, garlic and herbs3, Delia suggests using them to make a carrot and artichoke soup4, and Nigella suggests carrot cupcakes with cream cheese icing5. But the beauty of carrots is that for all the scrumptious and painstaking recipes out there, they are equally delicious simply cooked, tossed in butter and seasoned.

O Carrots are packed with the nutrient beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body.
O In fact, of all fruit and vegetables, carrots are actually the best source of beta-carotene.
O No surprise then that an 80g serving of cooked carrots contains more than twice the recommended daily amount (RDA) of vitamin A equivalent needed by adults.
O This is good news as according to The National Diet and Nutrition Survey 16 per cent of men and 19 per cent of women aged between 19 and 24 years have extremely low intakes of vitamin A.1

Why not try some of our winter warming recipes below or for more recipes and carroty facts, visit www.britishcarrots.co.uk.

Turkey Fricassee with Tarragon Carrots
Preparation: 10mins Cooking: 15mins Serves 4 Price per portion: 98p
Per serving: 324 calories, 14.2g fat, 4.3g saturates, 7.6g sugars, 0.27g salt

30ml/2tbsp vegetable oil
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
350g/12oz baby carrots
450g/1lb left over cold turkey, broken into bite sized pieces
30ml/2tbsp chopped fresh tarragon or 10ml/2tsp freeze dried
100ml/4floz dry white wine
300ml/1/2pt leftover turkey gravy
60ml/4tbsp half fat crème fraiche
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh tarragon to garnish, if liked
rice to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the leeks and carrots and sauté for 4mins. Add the turkey, tarragon, wine and gravy and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 6mins.
2. Remove the lid, and simmer for a further 5mins. Stir in the crème fraiche and season to taste. Remove from the heat. Spoon into a serving dish, scatter over the parsley and serve with rice.

Carrot, Chicken and Barley Soup
The next time you’re having a roast chicken, this soup is the ideal thing for the next day. Use the chicken bones to make delicious fresh chicken stock, the last bits of chicken meat and any leftover vegetables like potatoes or peas - all can be stirred in. Pearl barley thickens the soup and makes it really hearty too. It’s a delicious, warming soup for any time of year.

Prep: 5 mins Cook: 25-30 mins Serves 4-6 Price per portion: 70p (not including Sunday Roast leftovers)
Per serving: 271 calories, 7.2g fat, 1.5g saturates, 0.37g salt. Counts as 2 of your 5-a-day

15ml/1tbsp vegetable oil
450g/1lb carrots, peeled and sliced
1 leek, cleaned and sliced
1.2lt/2 pt chicken stock (see box)
75g/3oz pearl barley
175g/6oz cooked chicken, broken into bite sized chunks
175g/6oz cooked potatoes, chopped
100g/4oz cooked vegetables such as peas, broccoli, or green beans

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the carrots and leek, then saute over a medium heat for 4 mins. Add the stock, pearl barley, chicken and potatoes and season well.
2. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 20-25 mins or until the pearl barley and carrots are tender. Stir in the cooked vegetables, return to the boil and simmer for 1 min. Stir in the parsley and season to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve.

To make chicken stock
Cooking time: approx 1hr 20mins

1. Pick all the chicken that you can off a chicken carcass and set aside. Place the chicken bones, and skin in a large pan, cover with about 2.4ltr (4pts) water, add a bay leaf if you like, then bring to the boil.
2. Cover and simmer for 30 mins to extract all the goodness from the bones, then remove the lid and simmer for a further 40mins or so or until the liquid has reduced by half.
3. Strain to remove the bones then leave to stand for 5 mins. Use a spoon to skim off any excess fat which rises to the surface of the stock. It’s now ready to use but can be stored in the fridge for upto 4 days or frozen for upto 6 months.

Cooks Tip: To save time you can always make chicken stock with a stock cube or concentrate.

Spicy Lamb and Carrot Meatballs
Prep: 20 mins Cook: 15-20 mins Serves 4 Price per portion: 46p
Per serving: 391calories, 21.1g fat, 7.6g saturates, 1.37g salt
Counts as 4 of your 5-a-day and contains over a third of your RDA of vitamin C and iron

450g/1lb carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
1 (400g) pack lean lamb mince
1 clove garlic, crushed
50g/2oz fresh brown breadcrumbs
30ml/2tbsp chopped fresh or 5ml/1tsp dried mint
5ml/1tsp ground cumin
5ml/1tsp ground coriander
2.5ml/1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 egg yolk
30ml/2tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (700g) bottle passata sauce with basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Coarsely grate the carrots and reserve half for the sauce. Place the remainder in a bowl with the mince, garlic, breadcrumbs, mint, spices and egg yolk and mix together. Divide into 28 pieces then roll each into a small ball. If time allows, chill for 20 mins.
2. Heat a large non-stick frying pan, when hot, add a little of the oil and the meatballs. Cook over a high heat for about 8 mins, shaking the pan occasionally to turn the meatballs until they are golden brown all over.
3. Stir in the chopped onion and remaining carrots then fry for a further 2 mins. Pour in the passata sauce, season well, then cover and simmer uncovered for 6-8 mins until the sauce has thickened slightly. Serve with freshly cooked pasta.

Classic Carrot and Coriander Soup
Preparation: 10mins Cooking: 20-25mins Serves 4 Cost: 19p per person
Per serving: 102 calories, 4.0g fat, 0.4g saturates, 12.6g sugars, 0.8g salt

15ml/1tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
450g/1lb carrots, washed and sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
5ml/1 tsp ground coriander
1.2 ltr/2 pints vegetable stock
45ml/3tbsp chopped fresh coriander
squeeze of lemon juice
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
single cream to serve if liked

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onions, carrots and garlic, sauté for 4mins, until they are beginning to soften but not colour. Stir in the ground coriander and plenty of seasoning and cook for 1min.
2. Add the stock and bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20mins or until the carrots are really tender. Stir in the fresh coriander.
3. Whizz the soup with a stick blender or transfer to a food processor. Add the lemon juice and nutmeg to taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Reheat until just hot but not boiling and serve. Garnish with a swirl of cream if liked.

Notes to Editor
1. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Adults Aged 19 to 64 Years. Volume 2, 2003.
2. European Journal of Nutrition, Volume 42, Number 6, 2003.
Nutrition information is based on McCance and Widdowson, The Composition of Foods, 6th Edition. Values are for ‘old carrots, boiled in unsalted water’
3. http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/carrots
4. http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/soups/carrot-and-artichoke-soup.html
5. How to be a Domestic Goddess, recipe for Carrot Cupcakes with Cream-Cheese Icing.