CARROT
Carrots are enjoyed for their crispy texture and a sweet pumpkin-like flavor. They can be used in many ways, from simple dippings and stocks to more complicated dishes that need some aromatic flavor. Their orange color is due to beta-carotene - a very healthy and much needed component of our daily diet. Carrots are also sweet, as they contain about 5% of simple sugars. Carrot, or the part that we eat, grows underground, and the green leaves emerge above the ground. Carrots belong to a family of vegetables that also include parsnips, cumin, and dill. Their best season is the spring. They are all known as very healthy food and their contents are believed to prevent the most common and deadly disorders of our civilization, that is cancer and cardiovascular disease. Perhaps, the low consumption of carrots and other vegetables are the great cause of the prevalence of these diseases?
Molecules that give the carrot its characteristic taste are terpenes. The outer layer of the carrot is quite bitter and is usually peeled off before cooking. Carrots also have an alcohol-generating mechanism which is triggered by sunlight, heat, or mechanical damage.
When you buy carrots, look for the ones with a firm touch, no water or slime on the surface, deep colored, and intact. Avoid the broken carrots, and the ones with less color, since they taste less and contain less beta-carotene. The sweetest carrots are the big ones, and that's because the inner part of a carrot contains most sugars. However, you might decide on thinner carrots if you want to use them as a flavor-generating ingredient in your stocks. To judge the age of the carrots, look at their green leaves (have they wilted or not?), and also at their root ends (if they are dark then the carrot is old). If you buy carrots with their leaves attached, cut them off before you store them. The leaves will attract water from the roots as they start to wilt, and this will naturally destroy the root.
Store the carrots in a plastic bag, so the water doesn't evaporate too quickly, and put them in a refrigerator where they should keep fairly fresh for about one week or more. Also, don't put them too close to vegetables that generate ethylene (fruits, potatoes) because this will trigger the development of a bitter flavor in the carrot. To be on the safe side, use the carrots as soon as possible!
Carrots can be used for flavoring stocks, stews, and lots of dishes. Just sweat them in moderately hot oil for a few minutes and their juices will be released into the oil. You can also extract their flavors by simmering or boiling. Carrots can also form a base of salads, or just be an add-on to salads. Carrots can be cut into sticks and dipped in your favorite dippings. And of course, there is the popular carrot juice (best when made fresh) and carrot cake that people often indulge in.
Otherwise, carrots are delicious when cooked with butter or butter sauce, cream, or olive oil. You can bake them, boil them, fry them or sauté your carrots. They can be mixed with so many vegetables and herbs you should experiment and find any good ways to make them delicious. Don't just use them in stocks!
One small warning about carrots is that their overconsumption may affect the color of your skin, especially your hands and soles. These are the organs where excessive beta-carotene is stored when our body has no immediate need for it. This condition is probably not health-damaging, although it may make you look "weird"...