French grated carrot salad with lemon and parsley

About this recipe

French grated carrot salad, known as carottes râpées, is a simple salad of fresh raw carrot strands dressed with lemon juice and oil. It is often served as a small first course, a light vegetable side or part of a selection of crudités. The carrots should be grated fairly thinly so that they remain crisp while absorbing a small amount of vinaigrette. This version uses freshly squeezed lemon juice for acidity, parsley for a fresh herbal note, and olive oil to bind the seasoning to the grated vegetables. A slight increase in the oil compared with the previous house recipe gives the larger amount of carrots a more even coating without making a heavy dressing. A fifteen-minute rest in the refrigerator allows the taste to settle. The recipe contains no mustard, honey or dried fruit and therefore remains suitable for vegan serving when all ingredients are pure and uncontaminated. It is best eaten cool and freshly tossed.