Carol recently served her sisters a set of Moroccan salads for lunch, and my two favorites were this one and Zaalook (Moroccan Eggplant and Tomato Salad). This is adapted from a recipe Carol found on line at www.onceuponachef.com. It will serve 6-8 people as a side dish and takes about 15 minutes to prepare and another 30-60 minutes to chill.
Dressing
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. lemon zest
3 Tbs. lemon juice (from one lemon)
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1.5 Tbs. honey
¾ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
Salad
1 lb. carrots, peeled and shredded
1/3 cup currants or raisins
½ cup slivered almond, toasted
½ cup chopped fresh mint, cilantro, or a combination
15-oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Tbs. finely chopped shallots (from 1 large shallot)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped.
Mix together all the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add all the salad ingredients and toss in the dressing. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes. Check seasoning. Serve cold or at room temperature.