Carrot, Raisin, and Apple Salad with Orange Dressing

This is the first time I’ve ever written a salad recipe.  In my world, salads are made from whatever produce is in fridge and dressed with ingredients I have on hand in my pantry.  I guess, in a way, I’m making a new recipe every time I make a salad.  I’ve just never really thought about it that way.  I've certainly never written them down.

At this time of year fresh greens can be pretty expensive so I find myself seeking ways to turn winter vegetables into palatable raw dishes.  Carrot salads of various sorts make a frequent appearance on our table because they bring colour and crunch to the plate and they’re easy and inexpensive to make.

This particular carrot salad has been a long-time favourite at our house.  The acidity of the dressing balances well with the natural sweetness of the carrots, and the raisins soak up the salad dressing, improving in both flavour and texture.

To make carrot, apple, and raisin salad with orange dressing, you’ll need:

• Apples
• Carrots
• Raisins
• An orange
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
• 4 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

I judge the quantities of produce in my salads by sight, so the amounts given here are approximate.  Use the quantities of carrot, apple, and raisins that look right to you.

Cut some apple into 1/2-inch dice.  I used two small apples.

Grate some carrots on the large side of a box grater or with your food processor, using the coarse shredding disk.  I used three medium-sized carrots.

Add some raisins.  I used about 1/2 cup of Thompson seedless raisins this time, but I’ve used both sultanas and golden raisins in this recipe in the past.

Grate the zest off the orange and put it in a small bowl.  Squeeze the juice from the orange into the bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix them until they’re well combined. 

Add the dressing to the salad.  You may not need to use it all, but do use more than you think you need.  There should be some dressing pooled in the bottom of the bowl.

Let the salad rest in the fridge for at least an hour before you serve it, stirring it from time to time.  The raisins will soak up some of the extra liquid.

Scoop the salad into a serving dish, leaving any unabsorbed dressing behind in the mixing bowl. 

Leftover salad will keep well in the fridge for a couple of days.  It makes an excellent addition to cold meat sandwiches. 
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