We have a question for you on International Carrot Day.
Hands up who was told when they were kids, and now tell your own children, that eating carrots helps you to see in the dark?
Come on, we have all done it right?
Granted, if it got us and our children to eat more vegetables, then it didn’t matter if it was true or not, which is just as well because it’s a big fat myth.
It’s a myth used as propaganda by the RAF during the Second World War to explain why their pilots had improved success during night air battles, when it actually disguised advances in radar technology.
Nevertheless, the consumption of carrots was advocated in Britain at the time as part of the Dig for Victory campaign. A radio programme called ‘The Kitchen Front’ encouraged people to grow, store and use carrots in various novel ways, including making carrot jam and Woolton pie (Google it).
The great British public certainly bought into the myth that that eating carrots would help them see better at night and in 1942 there was a 100,000-ton surplus of carrots from the extra production.
And so endeth the history lesson!
On a more serious culinary note, there are few things more versatile than a carrot. It’s a staple in many of our favourite dishes, including Bolognese, lasagne, soups, salads and Sunday dinners.
And because it’s so sweet, that’s why it works well in desserts like, errr… carrot cake.
Just one piece of advice before this week’s carrot-inspired recipe, don’t eat too many because highly excessive consumption over a period of time results in a condition of carotenemia, which is a yellowing of the skin.
We’re not suggesting you put it to the test, but our guess would be you would need to have a serious carrot addiction for it to make your skin change colour!
Here’s our recipe for International Carrot Day:
Pulled BBQ Jack Daniels carrot burger with halloumi fries
BBQ pulled carrot:
- 330g Shredded carrot
- 230g sliced red onion
- 15g olive oil
- 300g Good quality BBQ sauce
- 25g Jack Daniels
- 5g salt
- 4 Brioche buns
- Bag of rocket
- Fry off the carrots, onions and salt till soft and caramelised. Add the BBQ sauce and Jack Daniels then cook down until thick and sticky. Put to one side.
Roast mushroom:
- 4 flat cap mushrooms
- 20g olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Bake on a tray season with salt and pepper and olive oil
Halloumi fries
- 2 squares of halloumi cheese
- 100g Cornflour
- Set your fryer to 180c. then cut the squares of halloumi in half and into fingers. Coat in cornflour, shaking off any excess and then deep fry until golden. Don’t season with salt as the halloumi is salty enough.
- To serve toast the brioche buns, warm up the pulled carrot. Build the burger with a good spoon full of the carrot mix then a mushroom top with rocket and spread of mayonnaise on the top. Enjoy
About Neil Shaefer
Marketing & Communications Executive of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
