Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa

Operation Use Harissa, phase....four?  I lost count.  But I put together a nice list of all the harissa recipes I've made this year:

• Carrots and Green Beans with Caraway, Harissa, and Pistachios
• Kale with Harissa
• Harissa Pasta and Kale with Olives, Pine Nuts, and Lemon
• Miso Harissa Squash and Kale (this wasn't very good)
• Roasted Cauliflower with Pistachios, Harissa, and Thyme
• Moroccan Raw Carrot Salad

This was a really simple recipe, but for some reason, it ended up particularly good.  I think the generous amounts of lemon juice and parsley kept it from being a soggy bowl of grated carrot.  Instead, it's zingy and refreshing (though I'd like to try adding a bit of cinnamon, too, to bring out the carrots' sweetness).  As always, I cut back on the raw garlic, too.

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa

(from epicurious)

Ingredients

1 pound (6-8 medium) carrots, coarsely grated (about 4 cups)

1/4 c olive oil

1/4 c fresh lemon juice

1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro and/or parsley

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin or (1/2 tsp ground cumin + 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon)

1 tsp sweet paprika

pinch of salt

1 tsp harissa (Northwest African chili paste) (or 1 TB minced green chilies or 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne)

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days to allow the flavors to meld and permeate the carrots. Served chilled or at room temperature.  Serves 4-5.

Note to self: A variation to try--Carrot-Orange Salad: Omit the cumin and add 1 1/2 tsp orange blossom water or 1/2 c fresh orange juice, 1/4 c chopped fresh spearmint, and, if desired, 1 TB sugar or honey.