Homemade French-Style Carrot Salad (Carrot Rapé)
Easy Carrot Recipe: The Perfect French Carrot Salad ‘Carrot Rapé’
Today, we’re introducing how to make ‘Carrot Rapé’, a French-style carrot salad that brings a taste of French bistros right to your kitchen. It’s delicious on its own as a refreshing salad, but if you make a generous batch, it becomes an incredibly versatile ingredient for sandwiches, kimbap, or adding a flavor boost to pasta. Let’s get started!
Main Ingredients
- 2 fresh carrots
- 0.5 Tbsp fine salt
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (or bottled lemon juice)
- 1 Tbsp whole grain mustard
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- A pinch of black pepper (to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, peel the carrots and prepare them. If you don’t have fresh lemon juice, you can substitute it with bottled lemon juice.
Step 2
Using a vegetable peeler (or a knife), julienne the carrots into very thin, fine strips. The thinner you cut them, the more tender the texture will be. If using a knife, focus on slicing them thinly and evenly.
Step 3
Place the julienned carrots in a bowl and sprinkle with 0.5 Tbsp of fine salt. Let them sit for about 30 minutes. This process draws out excess moisture, making the carrots tender yet retaining a slight crunch, and allows them to absorb flavors better. After salting, gently squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands.
Step 4
Add 1 Tbsp of sugar to the squeezed carrots and gently mix.
Step 5
Now, pour in 2 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice and 3 Tbsp of flavorful extra virgin olive oil. Mix well.
Step 6
Next, add 1 Tbsp of whole grain mustard. The small seeds within the mustard add a delightful texture and tang.
Step 7
Stir everything together thoroughly, ensuring the dressing is evenly distributed throughout the carrots. This even coating is key to a well-flavored salad.
Step 8
You can enjoy this carrot salad immediately, but for a more complex and richer flavor, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least two days. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully. Make a larger batch and store it in the fridge to easily incorporate into sandwiches, kimbap, pasta, and many other dishes!
