Carrot Salad with Walnut Oil & Honey

You might be surprised how well the toasty flavors of the walnuts and walnut oil complement the freshly grated carrot. This salad would be a delicious accompaniment to roast pork or chicken.

• 1-1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and grated on the medium holes of a box grater
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1 orange, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 Tbs. apple-cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 3 Tbs. untoasted walnut oil (available online at Lepicerie.com)
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2-1/2 Tbs. finely chopped chives

Combine the grated carrots, walnuts, and currants in a medium serving bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, cider vinegar, and honey. Slowly whisk in the walnut oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the carrot mixture with the vinaigrette and 2 Tbs. of the chives. Adjust the seasoning to taste. You can serve the salad immediately, but it will taste even better if you let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. chives right before serving.

Carrot Salad with Walnut Oil & Honey

You might be surprised how well the toasty flavors of the walnuts and walnut oil complement the freshly grated carrot. This salad would be a delicious accompaniment to roast pork or chicken.

• 1-1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and grated on the medium holes of a box grater
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1 orange, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 Tbs. apple-cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 3 Tbs. untoasted walnut oil (available online at Lepicerie.com)
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2-1/2 Tbs. finely chopped chives

Combine the grated carrots, walnuts, and currants in a medium serving bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, cider vinegar, and honey. Slowly whisk in the walnut oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the carrot mixture with the vinaigrette and 2 Tbs. of the chives. Adjust the seasoning to taste. You can serve the salad immediately, but it will taste even better if you let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. chives right before serving.

Red Currant Jelly

The season for red currants is fleeting, but you can make it last by making Kevin West's sweet-tart jelly.

• 2 lb. fresh red currants
• 1 cup water
• 3 cups sugar

Rinse the currants, and place them in a pot with the water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes; then press them a time or two with a potato masher. Strain this pectin stock through a jelly bag for 15 minutes. You should have about 3 cups of juice. If you have substantially more or less, adjust the amount of sugar accordingly to maintain a ratio of 1 cup juice to 1 cup sugar.

While the jelly bag drips, spread the sugar on a cookie sheet, and warm it in a 225ºF oven for 15 minutes.

Bring the pectin stock to a boil in a preserving pan, and add the sugar. Reduce to the gel point, 6 to 8 minutes. Working fast, skim any foam and, before it starts to cool, ladle the hot jelly into three prepared 1/2-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. If any foam or bubbles remain, allow the jars to cool for a minute or two, until a light skin forms on the surface of the jelly. The skin will trap the impurities, and you can scoop it out. Seal the jars, and process them in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes.

Red Currant Jelly

The season for red currants is fleeting, but you can make it last by making Kevin West's sweet-tart jelly.

• 2 lb. fresh red currants
• 1 cup water
• 3 cups sugar

Rinse the currants, and place them in a pot with the water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes; then press them a time or two with a potato masher. Strain this pectin stock through a jelly bag for 15 minutes. You should have about 3 cups of juice. If you have substantially more or less, adjust the amount of sugar accordingly to maintain a ratio of 1 cup juice to 1 cup sugar.

While the jelly bag drips, spread the sugar on a cookie sheet, and warm it in a 225ºF oven for 15 minutes.

Bring the pectin stock to a boil in a preserving pan, and add the sugar. Reduce to the gel point, 6 to 8 minutes. Working fast, skim any foam and, before it starts to cool, ladle the hot jelly into three prepared 1/2-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. If any foam or bubbles remain, allow the jars to cool for a minute or two, until a light skin forms on the surface of the jelly. The skin will trap the impurities, and you can scoop it out. Seal the jars, and process them in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes.

Red Currant and Ginger Sorbet

A splash of ruby port helps deepen this sorbet’s beautiful bright pink color and adds some sweetness to complement the tart berries. The pectin in the currants makes the sorbet exceptionally smooth.

• 18 oz. (4 cups) red currants, unstemmed
• 1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 Tbs. ruby port, such as Sandeman
• 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

In a 5- to 6-quart pot, combine the currants, sugar, port, ginger, and salt. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the berries have burst, about 8 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and crush the berries with a potato masher. Pour the mixture into a large, fine sieve set over a large bowl and press on the solids with the back of a large spoon to obtain as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.

Refrigerate the liquid for at least 2 hours and up to 24 (or quick-chill in a larger bowl of ice water). Pour the liquid into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer to an airtight container and chill in the freezer until firmed up, at least 4 hours.

Carrot Salad with Walnut Oil & Honey

You might be surprised how well the toasty flavors of the walnuts and walnut oil complement the freshly grated carrot. This salad would be a delicious accompaniment to roast pork or chicken.

• 1-1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and grated on the medium holes of a box grater
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1 orange, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 Tbs. apple-cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 3 Tbs. untoasted walnut oil (available online at Lepicerie.com)
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2-1/2 Tbs. finely chopped chives

Combine the grated carrots, walnuts, and currants in a medium serving bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, cider vinegar, and honey. Slowly whisk in the walnut oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the carrot mixture with the vinaigrette and 2 Tbs. of the chives. Adjust the seasoning to taste. You can serve the salad immediately, but it will taste even better if you let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. chives right before serving.

Carrot Salad with Walnut Oil & Honey

You might be surprised how well the toasty flavors of the walnuts and walnut oil complement the freshly grated carrot. This salad would be a delicious accompaniment to roast pork or chicken.

• 1-1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and grated on the medium holes of a box grater
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1 orange, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 Tbs. apple-cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 3 Tbs. untoasted walnut oil (available online at Lepicerie.com)
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2-1/2 Tbs. finely chopped chives

Combine the grated carrots, walnuts, and currants in a medium serving bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, cider vinegar, and honey. Slowly whisk in the walnut oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the carrot mixture with the vinaigrette and 2 Tbs. of the chives. Adjust the seasoning to taste. You can serve the salad immediately, but it will taste even better if you let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. chives right before serving.

Carrot Salad with Walnut Oil & Honey

You might be surprised how well the toasty flavors of the walnuts and walnut oil complement the freshly grated carrot. This salad would be a delicious accompaniment to roast pork or chicken.

• 1-1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and grated on the medium holes of a box grater
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1 orange, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 Tbs. apple-cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 3 Tbs. untoasted walnut oil (available online at Lepicerie.com)
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2-1/2 Tbs. finely chopped chives

Combine the grated carrots, walnuts, and currants in a medium serving bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, cider vinegar, and honey. Slowly whisk in the walnut oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the carrot mixture with the vinaigrette and 2 Tbs. of the chives. Adjust the seasoning to taste. You can serve the salad immediately, but it will taste even better if you let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. chives right before serving.

Red Currant and Ginger Sorbet

A splash of ruby port helps deepen this sorbet’s beautiful bright pink color and adds some sweetness to complement the tart berries. The pectin in the currants makes the sorbet exceptionally smooth.

• 18 oz. (4 cups) red currants, unstemmed
• 1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 Tbs. ruby port, such as Sandeman
• 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

In a 5- to 6-quart pot, combine the currants, sugar, port, ginger, and salt. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the berries have burst, about 8 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and crush the berries with a potato masher. Pour the mixture into a large, fine sieve set over a large bowl and press on the solids with the back of a large spoon to obtain as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.

Refrigerate the liquid for at least 2 hours and up to 24 (or quick-chill in a larger bowl of ice water). Pour the liquid into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer to an airtight container and chill in the freezer until firmed up, at least 4 hours.