At this time of year, when we plead with Hashem to grant us,
our families and the entire Jewish people a favorable gzar
din (judgment), let us turn to gezer, the carrot.
This vegetable has its symbolic counterpart in Yiddish, as
well, when we pray that ess zohlen zich mehren unzere
zchuyos - our merits should increase.
Carrot leaves have a rich, aromatic fragrance that resembles
parsley or celery. No wonder: these three are members of the
parsley family, umbelliferae.
What child hasn't been told by his mother to eat carrots so
he will have good eyesight? [Indeed, no one ever caught a
rabbit with glasses.] It turns out that this has a scientific
basis.
[In school, we were taught that vitamina A, in which carrots
are rich, prevented night blindness.] According to the
American Dietetics association, the evidence is compelling
that fruits and vegetables rich in beta caretene are
essential to a healthy diet and may help protect against
cancer, heart disease and other major maladies.
Beta carotene is converted by the body into vitamin A, which
has been shown to be essential in general good eyesight,
disease prevention and bone growth. But beta carotene is only
one of 50 substances called carotenoids, all of which are
found in various fruits and vegetables. Vegetables rich in
vitamin A-producing compounds include the deep yellow
vegetables such as the carrot, sweet potato, and pumpkin, as
well as the deep green leafy vegetables, including Swiss
chard, spinach, kale and collard greens (at least the first
two are available in Israel, insect-free).
Carrots weren't always as popular as they are today. The
Greeks and Romans of ancient history used carrots as
medicinal plants to cure ulcers and other stomach ailments
and to heal wounds. [In "Back to Eden", a natural health
book, poultices of grated carrots are also advised for
swellings and infections, etc.] The wild carrots they used
had thin, wiry roots in white, yellow, red or purple. The
earliest record of carrots being eaten as a vegetable was
about 1400 years ago in Afghanistan. These carrots were
probably large, rough and purple in color.
Carrots were being grown in the British colonies of North
America as early as one report on them from Virginia in 1609.
In the United States of the 1800s, carrots were more
important for feeding cattle and other livestock. The French
were especially fond of carrots, and it was a French seed
company that introduced many varieties of carrots in the late
1800s. Many of them are still popular today. The carrots were
intermediate in size and shape and were meant for human
consumption.
Today, the carrot is one of the major vegetable crops grown
all over the world. In the United States, California leads
all other states in production, with Texas and Michigan
coming in second and third.
Carrot producers are rooting for this recent trend: a 25%
increase in per capita use of fresh carrots since the 1980s
and a 30% increase in the use of frozen carrots. Among the
things credited for the boom are the wide availability of
fresh and frozen, peeled baby-cut carrots and new varieties
of sweeter, more tender carrots, according to a United States
Department of Agriculture report.
Crunchy and versatile, the carrot is everyone's favorite.
Available all year round and inexpensive, the carrot makes
its way into soups, colorful salads, cooked vegetable
medleys, and sweet, moist cake. Known as the dieter's
delight, carrots can be found on sophisticated crudite trays
as well as in lunch boxes and at juice bars. Raw or steamed,
shredded or sliced lengthwise or into `coins', the carrot
retains it beautiful orange color and subtle flavor.
Add finely grated or chopped carrots to your chicken soup for
that golden eye appeal and interest. Grate a little carrot
into your gefilte fish for the mosaic look and into cole slaw
for crunch and color. Roast carrots in the oven for subtle
flavor.
Try Orange-Glazed Carrots for a favorable gzar din,
all year round.
ORANGE GLAZED CARROTS
Ingredients:
12 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar, firmly packed
6 tablespoons margarine
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe 1 quart
casserole
2. Heat, covered in microwave oven for 6-8 minutes on full
power or until carots are tender. Stir occasionally so that
carrots are well glazed. Serve hot. Yield: 8 servings.
CARROT TZIMMES
INGREDIENTS:
non-stick cooking spray
2 medium sweet potatoes
3 cooking apples
3 medium carrots
1 cup pitted prunes
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Coat a 13 x 9 inch decorative bake-and-serve casserole
dish with non-stick cooking spray. Peel sweet potatoes and
slice into thin slices (you should have about 6 cups). Peel
and core apples. Scrape carrots. Slice apples and carrots
into thin slices. Cut prunes in half, using a wet kitchen
shears.
2. Layer sweet potatoes, apples, carrots and prunes in
overlapping circles in the prepared baking dish.
3. Combine orange juice, orange rind, honey and cloves and
pour over mixture. Cover.
4. Bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until thoroughly
cooked. Serve hot. Yield: 12 servings.
CARROT APPLE BREAD
Here is a parve carrot-apple `bread' for any of the coming
yomim tovim:
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 1/2 cup shredded apples
1/4 cup margarine, softened
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon lemon rind
1 3/4 cup flour, sifted
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts - omit for Rosh Hashona
INSTRUCTIONS;
1. Combine carrots, apples, margarine, eggs and lemon rind in
a large bowl. Mix well.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add to apple
mixture. Beat for 3 minutes. Stir in walnuts.
3. Pour into a greased 10 inch square pan. Bake at 350
degrees for about 30 minutes or until cake tests done.
