Carrot and Raisin Salad

Carrot and raisin salad is another dish in the food repertoire of the American South that also appears across other cultures, notably in France and Morocco. The distinguishing characteristic of the Southern version, however, is the addition of mayonnaise, which gives the salad that classic consistency you just can’t replicate using a standard vinaigrette and which we of course included.

That’s not to say we didn’t take some inspiration from other variations, though. Because orange and carrots are a classic pairing, we added a bit of orange zest and call for soaking the raisins in Grand Marnier. And, we took a cue from North Africa too by adding some spice, specifically, ground coriander, which is tart, sweet, and also citrusy. The result is a creamy, crunchy, sweet, fragrant, and fresh salad. Who wouldn’t want to eat that?!

Ingredients

1/2 cup black raisins    

1/4 cup Grand Marnier 

1 cup mayonnaise        

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice   

2 teaspoons honey       

1 teaspoon orange zest 

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 

1 1/2 teaspoons  fleur de sel     

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper       

4 cups grated carrots    

1/2 cup golden raisins  

Method

1. Soak the black raisins in the Grand Marnier for 30 minutes. Drain, discard the soaking liquid, and set aside.                   

2. Whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey, orange zest, coriander, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.                 

3. Stir the mayonnaise sauce, carrots, golden raisins, and black raisins together in a large bowl.   

Notes For Carrot and Raisin Salad

• Be sure to use Grand Marnier for recipe and not substitute with something similar like Cointreau. If you don't have Grand Marnier, just skip the soaking.