Recipe: Salad of Warm Orange-Miso Glazed Carrots Over Mizuna

An unexpectedly savory salad with a robust texture and flavor

By Chef Christine Moss, Chef, The Garden Café Woodstock

Ingredients: 

• 1 bunch (or 1 lb.) small spring carrots (or larger ones cut in half lengthwise and then 2” pieces)
• ½ cup organic white miso
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 container frozen orange juice concentrate defrosted
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 4-6 generous cups of Mizuna (depends on how big you like your salad)
• ¼ red onion thinly sliced
• ½ cup sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Remove green tops and wash carrots well, no need to peel if organic. Place them into a baking dish.
3. Into a bowl whisk together the miso, olive oil, maple syrup, orange juice concentrate and black pepper. Taste and add more miso if you like it saltier or more maple syrup if you like it sweeter.
4. Pour over the carrots in the baking dish and mix around to coat evenly.
5. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
6. Check the carrots for tenderness, you should be able to put your fork into them easily, but they should still be firm. If they need more time recover with the foil and check in 10 minute increments until done.
7. Remove the carrots from the oven and let cool down a little.
8. Toss the mizuna with the red onions and divide onto each plate. Using a spatula place the still warm carrots on top of the greens. Pour any of the baking liquid over the top of the salad as your dressing. Top with thinly sliced almonds and serve immediately.

Notes:

Mizuna is a variety of mustard greens, mild yet peppery in flavor in the brassica family. It is high in vitamins A, C, K and lutein, which is good for your eyes. Mizuna can be found in Asian grocery stores, health food stores and farmers markets. If you cannot find mizuna, you can substitute baby spinach or arugula.

Carrots are best whole and organic. As a root vegetable, they absorb whatever toxins and pesticides that may be in the ground.

If your carrots have fresh looking green tops, wash them off, chop them up and add them to your salad. They are delicious with a green-carrot flavor  and are full of nutrients.