Winter Salads

carrots are a winter staple in my refrigerator

During the summer, my refrigerator is crammed full of fixings for green salads: various lettuces, tomatoes, peppers, celery, scallions, avocado. In the winter, though, my taste for leafy salads seems to abate; instead, I want something not quite so crisp, so I usually makea type of winter salad: coleslaw, green pea salad, or shredded carrot salad. The latter is probably my favorite because it goes well with so many dishes, and it also keeps well for several days.

Start by grating 3 or 4 peeled carrots, using the largest holes on a grater. (I have used a food processor for this, but I don't like the results.) Then grate a small chunk of onion and add to the carrots. Add 2 TBSP mayonnaise, juice of half a lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. Add more onion if too bland. Then throw in some raisins (I prefer yellow). If you have either canned mandarin oranges or crushed pineapple, drain that well and add a few tablespoons of the fruit. Toss and let sit for a few hours before serving.

This is the traditional carrot salad that I grew up with. Recently, I have tried various Thai salads, which include peanuts and usually sesame oil. For some reason, they just don't grab me the way the old standby does.