Carrot manchego salad

Carrot manchego salad

MAKES 6 servings as a side dish
TIME 30 minutes, plus 1 hour of salting time
NOTES Salting the sliced carrots makes them release their liquid, so it doesn’t dilute the vibrant vinaigrette; salting also makes the carrots slightly tender. Toasting and grinding whole cumin seeds tempers the bitter overtones of raw cumin. Manchego, a firm sheep’s-milk cheese from Spain, is available at gourmet, specialty, and Whole Foods stores. Use one with a good, strong flavor (ask for a taste before you buy it).

Ingredients
9 or 10 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin coins on a mandoline or with the slicing attachment of a food processor (to yield 5 cups; see Notes)
About 2 1/4 tsp. salt, divided
1 small garlic clove
1 tsp. cumin seeds (see Notes)
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed orangejuice
2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp. each mild honey and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. minced fresh cilantro, plus several cilantro leaves for garnish
5 1/2 tbsp. fruity extra-virgin olive oil
3 oz. manchego cheese (see Notes), shaved with a vegetable peeler
10 whole Bibb lettuce leaves, washed and dried

Directions
1. Toss sliced carrots with 2 tsp. salt and put in a colander. Put a plate on top of carrots, weigh down with a 1-lb. can, and set in sink to drain for 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, chop garlic, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and mash to a paste on a cutting board with the flat side of a chef’s knife. In a small frying pan, toast cumin seeds over medium heat until fragrant, 1 minute, and grind finely with a mortar and pestle (or put cooled seeds in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a meat mallet or the underside of a small heavy frying pan). In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, cumin, orange juice, sherry vinegar, honey, pepper, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and minced cilantro; whisk in olive oil.

3. Rinse carrots and turn onto a clean dish towel. Gently dry with another towel. In a large bowl, toss carrots with half of the vinaigrette and the shaved cheese. Divide lettuce leaves among plates and drizzle lightly with remaining vinaigrette. Layer carrots on top and crown with cilantro leaves.

PER SERVING 218 cal., 74% (162 cal.) from fat; 4.7 g protein; 18 g fat (5.3 g sat.); 11 g carbo (3.1 g fiber); 312 mg sodium; 15 mg chol.

Serve with 2008 X Winery, "White X" Winemaker's Blend, North Coast.