Coriander-flavored Mashed Carrots with Coconut Milk — Purée de carottes parfumée à la coriandre et au lait de coco
Carrots.
It’s funny, really, to get excited about carrots. I have friends who think that I am crazy to find carrots sexy, but I secretly know that they’ve probably not been as lucky as me, to have grown up near the best carrots one can imagine. I swear it’s true.
I was that lucky young French girl who, each summer, was waiting for the premières carottes de la saison (the first carrots of the season). They were always planted in rows of three in my mum’s garden, between the French beans and beets, with the young ones as the best in taste, those not yet fully grown that I liked to “steal” and eat as a midday snack. Of course, they were never straight in shape, and were always full of dirt. I know well that they would never have won aesthetics awards, but as to their goût (taste), it was simply incomparable.
The best.
The other day, I had a craving for carrot mash. Again.
It happens quite often.
It’s not even because spring is finally here — or I should say summer, in view of the thermometer today! The air outside reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 32 degrés celsius ! Crazy, non ? I keep thinking that no later than last Sunday, when we went for a walk to the park, we were still wearing hats and gloves. I am actually already missing my hat and gloves. And it’s not even because my sister-in-law gave me the best hat that I’ve ever owned.
But the trees exploding into colorful blooming flower buds everywhere I looked made me feel quite cheery. Despite the heat I dislike.
Oh yes, the carrots.
So, I had this craving for carrots. A dish of carrot mash, more precisely. Now that Lulu is four months old — last Saturday, in fact — I think more and more about simple dishes like mashed vegetables. I am excited at the prospect that she will soon experience the taste of food for the first time, beside le lait de sa maman (ie my milk). How fascinating to witness her going through this wonderful phase of life! It’s all magical, really.
She already likes to hang out with us at the dining table, and sits proudly — she really has this look on her face — in her green high chair. She likes to be part of the family table, smiling as she looks at us to her right and left, before she starts it all over again. I love that she is happy there.
“Avec toi, j’ai commencé avec des purées de légumes, comme les carottes, (I started with mashed vegetables like carrots)” my mum tells me when I curiously ask about the foods she introduced to us first — I have to learn too. She has pride in adding that my brother B. and I never ate a petit pot de bébé acheté (store-bought baby food); she always cooked what we ate.
Maybe this is the reason why I love carrots so much.
It must be it.
This carrot mash version is, of course, for times when Lulu will be a little older. I made it thinking about the new season, and the flavors P. and I were in the mood for. It’s very simple and surprising.
It uses fresh coriander, the smell of which diffusing in the kitchen inspires me about spring produce; coconut milk for an exotic touch, and cracked red peppercorns for enhanced flavor and color. It’s always prepared with a food mill, because I am convinced that the best mashed vegetables are made this way. No exception.
It’s a wonderful side dish that you can prepare to accompany grilled fish or meat, or eat just as it is in the bowl. And, if you have leftovers, you can also feel creative with other recipes.
But I will have to tell you about that next, when I have a moment again for myself.
In the meantime, let’s enjoy this simple food.
And the feeling of the new season.
Spring.
Note: the textiles used in the top picture and above come from Harmony Art, a talented designer I was lucky to come across. Oh the surprises of the web and the wonderful things we can find while browsing here and there. A big thank you to Harmony. I cannot wait to get more of her organic patterns to cheer up my pictures. They work so naturally.
You need:
- 1 lb + 2 oz organic carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- Bunch of fresh coriander
- 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Fleur de sel
- Crushed red peppercorns
Steps:
- Place the vegetables and a few coriander leaves in a pot. Cover with water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes (or less depending on the size of the vegetable pieces).
- Drain and transfer to a food mill. Puree the vegetables.
- Heat the coconut milk and add to the mashed carrots with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Serve warm with a dash of fleur de sel, freshly chopped coriander and cracked red peppercorn.
Ingrédients :
- 500 g de belles carottes, pelées et coupées en rondelles
- 2 pommes de terre, pelées et coupées en rondelles
- Bouquet de coriandre fraiche
- 70 ml de lait de coco non sucré
- 2 càs d’huile d’olive
- Fleur de sel
- Baies roses concassées
Etapes :
- Mettez les légumes dans une casserole avec quelques brins de coriandre. Cpuvrez d’eau et ajoutez un bonne pincée de sel. faites cuire jusqu’à ce que les légumes soient tendres (environ 20 minutes, le temps varie selon la taille des rondelles).
- Egouttez et passez-les légumes au presse-purée.
- Chauffez le lait de coco et ajoutez-le à la purée avec l’huile d’olive.
- Servez chaud avec de la fleur de sel et des baies roses concassées.
49 Comments »
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Bonjour ! Cette purée a l’air délicieuse, coriandre – coco – carotte forment un bel assortiment de saveurs. Les photos sont magnifiques, les tissus aussi.
Comment by Mélodie — On April, 27th, 2009 at 7:49 am
I’m glad you are enjoying the spring weather Bea! The carrot mash sounds so wonderful, especially with the coriander and coconut milk. Enjoy the sunshine…
Comment by Peter G — On April, 27th, 2009 at 7:57 am
I know exactly what you mean when you say it’s magical to see how Lulu develops. I feel very much the same about my nephew, especially when I don’t see him for two weeks or so – it just unbelievable how much he changes and learns all the time! He loves to eat, too (like everybody in our family), his favourite being the pureed apple with semolina. He loves it so much he cries when to next spoonfull doesn’t come quick enough…
Comment by Honeybee — On April, 27th, 2009 at 7:58 am
Carrots have a beautiful colour! My babies love carrot soup and I add some pumpkin! They like a lot that coloured, perfumed dish!!!
Your pictures are always marvellous
Bye!
Comment by chiara — On April, 27th, 2009 at 7:58 am
i love carrots too. i always put a couple in my tomato sauces. (don’t tell the purists!)
this looks delicious. carrots with an exotic twist!
Comment by beyond — On April, 27th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Hi there, when my guy was first eating solid food he really loved carrots – so I gave him lots. The doctor knew ths saying to me that I must have been feeding him carrots because his skin was starting to turn golden. All that beta carotene had dyed him a little. Just like those really old tanning pills from the late 70s early 80s.
Comment by Hazel — On April, 27th, 2009 at 8:17 am
sounds so delicious! and I love the textiles, very lovely!
Comment by kat — On April, 27th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Votre purée de carottes revisitée à la coriandre et au lait de coco nous fait saliver d’avance….Les photos font toujours autant rêver. Bravo ! Merci !
Comment by Amalia — On April, 27th, 2009 at 9:45 am
I will try it bea.. your pictures are beautiful as always..
Comment by Hale — On April, 27th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Beautiful sweet carrots, so simple and so delicious!
Comment by Janet Hudson — On April, 27th, 2009 at 10:30 am
what a yummy recipe! i have recently fallen in love with carrots so i will keep this in mind
Comment by Dani — On April, 27th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Je trouve aussi que les plats les plus ’simples’ sont les plus intéressants. Superbes photos! Et les tissus sont effectivement très beaux
Comment by Bea — On April, 27th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Comme d’habitude c’est magnifique. Je fais souvent le carotte-coco-coriandre en soupe.
Ce qui est fabuleux aussi… c’est la chaise bébé, génial !! je ne sais pas si c’est distribué en France mais ce système intelligent n’est finalement pas si compliqué, fallait y penser !
Comment by karine — On April, 27th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
This puree sounds so tasty. I can’t wait to make my own baby food when I actually have a baby some day. There’s just something so organic about satisfying about that.
Comment by Hayley — On April, 27th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
c’est très bon deja fait dès que l’on met de la coriandre c’est du bonheur avec la douceur du lait de coco
Comment by laurenceel — On April, 27th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Oh, they sound delicious. I never fed my son from jars either–I just figured it seemed the best way to feed him healthy food, and he was never a “fussy” eater, either–he’s always open to new tastes and foods, even now, and he’s 32 now! I also used a food mill. I think one of the most pleasant experiences in life is watching a small baby sample “real” foods for the first time. The facial expressions are just priceless. I still love watching them. LOL Your new fabrics are colorful and lively, and the ranunculus is beautiful. Happy 4 months to lovely Lulu.
Comment by sue — On April, 27th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
i just stumbled on your site and love it. gorgeous photos. and great food. mostly, i love seeing other blogs that prove how easy it is to make fresh food for our babies and kids. i post about exactly this same thing all the time. happy posting! if you’re looking for more ideas, how about cardamom pears or mint peas? you can get the recipes here: http://tinyurl.com/c694zq
Comment by michelle — On April, 27th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Merci Béa de traduire les recettes en francais. C’est nettement plus facile pour moi. Même si le beau temps se fait nettement ressentir, je ne refuse jamais une soupe.
Comment by Vanille — On April, 27th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Carrots and Yukon gold potatoes … sounds very yummy. Little LuLu has so much to look forward to in the way of baby food! Such gorgeous photos. Love those fabrics, also.
Shirley
Comment by gfe-gluten free easily — On April, 27th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Same here, mom is so proud that we never ate jar stuff! I am like you with carrots. I have some everyday and I remember my mom’s carrot mash with fresh parsley. Un vrai delice.Bonne idee d’ajouter du lait de coco!
Comment by Tartelette — On April, 27th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Thanks for sharing the nice picture…I really enjoy it! The carrots recipe looks really yummy.
Comment by Juliana — On April, 27th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Breathtaking photography! The recipe sounds excellent too.
Comment by Alisa - Frugal Foodie — On April, 27th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Une fois de plus, je suis fascinée par tes photos… En les voyant, c’est sûr, n’importe qui trouverait les carottes sexy
Je suis fan de carottes aussi. Le Petit Prince pas du tout : j’ai dû en manger trop pendant ma grossesse et l’allaitement ! Aujourd’hui, c’est depuis une petite marche qu’il nous regarde cuisiner, mais la chaise évolutive est aussi un observatoire privilégié…
Quant aux tissus… Ils sont merveilleux ! Moi qui ai décidé de faire de plus en plus de vêtements moi-même avec des tissus écologiques, je n’ai plus qu’une envie m’en procurer ! Depuis l’Europe, cela n’est pas forcément une mince affaire, ni une affaire très écologique d’ailleurs. En même temps, le choix ici est plutôt limité…
Merci pour ce joli billet !
Comment by belleble — On April, 28th, 2009 at 1:03 am
I have always enjoyed your blog and love all the wonderful stories and recipes.
Wanted to leave a quick note here on coconut milk. It is fairly high in saturated fats (some studies say it causes higher cholesterol and others disagree), but best not to have it too often.
Comment by asianfoodie — On April, 28th, 2009 at 1:08 am
les jeunes carottes primeurs du jardin, ou les premiers pois gourmands sans parler des petites pommes de terre nouvelles, rien de meilleur. ma maman fait aussi son jardin. les carottes adorent la noix de coco (j’en fais des soupes) et la coriandre relève le tout. Bises
Comment by marie — On April, 28th, 2009 at 1:27 am
Carrots are so underrated! I love this idea and will definitely try it. By the way, the apple blossom pictures are gorgeous!
Comment by Bri — On April, 28th, 2009 at 1:40 am
La recette j’adhère !
! Et puis, je n’avais pas eu le temps de passer mais il y a plein de changements ici !
Comment by Sophie — On April, 28th, 2009 at 2:08 am
This looks great. I love the unique combination of flavors. I would have never thought to make carrots with cilantro and coconut milk.
Comment by Nikki — On April, 28th, 2009 at 2:46 am
Oh oui les carottes chez nous, qu’est-ce qu’elles sont bonnes et sucrées ! Elle me donne envie ta purée, mais il faut bien admettre qu’au Japon, les carottes sont insipides et vraiment pas bonnes.
Une question par curiosité, penses-tu que donner de la nourriture bio à un bébé dès son plus jeune âge soit bon ou mauvais ? Je me suis déjà faite plusieurs fois la réflexion et je me demandais ce qu’en penserait quelqu’un qui s’y connaît plus que moi…
Comment by chloe — On April, 28th, 2009 at 5:57 am
J’adopte la purée de carottes, avec les goûts de coco et de coriandre, elle est sacrément revisitée par rapport à celle que je faisais à mes enfants. Avec des photos de cette qualité, l’appétit est d’autant plus stimulé. Merci
Comment by Dominique (de vous à moi...) — On April, 28th, 2009 at 5:57 am
Lovely recipe! And I definitely love the textiles too!!
Comment by mycookinghut — On April, 28th, 2009 at 7:09 am
Carrots are wonderful & definitely my favorite as well in sweet & savory preparations. Wish me luck on growing my own this year! Thanks
Comment by Anjali — On April, 28th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Whenever I was pregnant, let us not say pica for dirt, let us say carrots smelling earthy, would be so desirable, that I would fill the veggie drawer in the fridge with them. To open the drawer and smell the carrot goodness was perfection. Once I had the drawer filled to the gills, had a miscarriage, and then had a lot of carrots on my hands that did nothing for me. There must be something to that. The Beta-Carotene/Vit. A must have been calling me for some part of development and in some way during gestation.
My stepfather, who was a root veggie lover, always especially loved parsnips. I seem to include those white, nutty, sweet carrot-looking veggies in my carrot dishes, including a fave of roasted carrot and parsnip sticks. Ummm! Parsnips are also served mashed, but I have to admit I have never made them that way.
Your carrot mash has inspired me! Thanks, once again.
Hugs to Lulu, sweet baby girl.
Comment by Mari — On April, 28th, 2009 at 11:10 am
la coriandre si rare à trouver à paris.
le lait de coco serait il le miracle pour rendre plus goûtu une purée de carotte..
moi je fais revenir d’abord les carottes et un oignon avec de l’huile d’olive avant de les faire cuire et de les réduire en purée
Comment by Aurelia — On April, 28th, 2009 at 11:15 am
ah bon la coriandre difficile a trouver a paris ? il y en a maintenant a Monop vendue en bouquet comme le persil (pas en barquette sous plastique) ! j’en trouve aussi dans les nombreuses epiceries asiatiques et qqfois ds les frigos des epiceries arabes a cote des bouquets de menthe ! elle est assez fragile mais je ne resiste pas au plaisir d’en mettre un peu ds ma jardiniere en juin …!
Comment by karine — On April, 28th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
hello madam, may i know what is Fleur de sel?
Comment by dira — On April, 28th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
I love how you can always make something so simple as a carrot mash look so elegant and wonderful. I love all your pictures, stunning!
Kristen
Comment by EatingRD — On April, 28th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
The coconut milk and coriander are great additions to the mash. I bet it would be great with chicken or pork for big babies.
Comment by catherine at unconfidentialcook.com — On April, 29th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Bea,
This is my first time visiting your site. I stumbled upon it while looking for bloggers interested in reviewing my supper club cookbook when it releases on June 18, 2009. Your photos are absolutely stunning!
If you are interested in joining the “blog tour” of my book, please let me know and I will have my publicist contact you with details. I would be honored to have you on board.
Comment by Debi Shawcross — On April, 29th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
As I sit here eating a plain old carrot, I wish I had thought of this myself. I believe I am in for a treat tomorrow, though!
Comment by Jodye — On April, 29th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
This looks wonderful…what a great idea and I hope my kids will like it.
Comment by Mixing Bowl Mama — On April, 30th, 2009 at 11:32 am
It’s the mix of flavors – coriander, carrots, and coconut milk – that is so magical here. We were talking about building flavors at school (I’m a culinary school student) and it is taste and aroma that really make a dish wonderful.
Cheers!
Comment by CookingSchoolConfidential.com — On April, 30th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Thank you everyone, I hope that you enjoy the recipe if you try it.
Comment by Béa — On May, 1st, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Hello,
What a lovely site you have! I found you through Harmony of Harmony Art. Your photography is just stunning and your recipes…yum! I made most of my children’s food as well…we used the jars when traveling and out and about…but otherwise, they were raised on the real stuff. I am convinced this is why they love the taste of veggies. I am looking foward to visiting your space often and trying many of your recipes!
Sheree
Comment by sheree — On May, 4th, 2009 at 9:03 am
simply beautiful photos.
~ j
Comment by jackie connelly — On May, 7th, 2009 at 1:37 am
I’ll never forget the first time I ate a fresh, young carrot from the ground. I was a teenager at a summer retreat in North Carolina at an agricultural college. Between sessions I wandered the grounds and one day came across a student tending to the crops. He offered the carrot and I stared it at, dirt and all, before finally taking a bite. It’s a taste I can still recall today, and I think it’s what’s responsibile for the way I came to feel toward what’s usually a fairly underrated vegetable in my opinion.
Your recipe looks great! Simple and delicious. Will give it a go
Comment by Kip — On May, 16th, 2009 at 3:15 am
I’m so happy to have stumbled across your website! Your pictures are just exquisite. I tried this simple recipe tonight and it was wonderful! Can’t wait to try more.
Comment by Arwen — On May, 17th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
[...] enjoying a bowl of this cheery, warm orange soup. I got the original recipe for this soup from this amazing site. However, hers is a mash and mine is definitely more of a soup. I didn’t have fresh coriander [...]
Pingback by Coriander, Carrot and Parmesean Soup « Easy Eatables — On June, 25th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
I always look forward to your posts, it’s always the most relaxing part of my day. I like how you transform the simple carrot into something absolutely wonderful…I always like to add carrots in my curries so I can see how the coconut milk would pair fabulously with the carrots. Thanks for sharing!
Comment by Joy — On November, 5th, 2009 at 4:28 pm