Carrots — season, tips, and recipes in New Zealand
Carrots is a vegetables available in New Zealand during January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, peaking in May, June, July, August. This page is a practical guide for home cooks: when to buy carrots, how to pick a good one, how to store it, what it goes well with, three original recipes, and detailed nutrition information.
Carrots get sweeter after a frost, which converts starch to sugar. Canterbury winter carrots are noticeably sweeter.
How to pick a good one
Avoid pre-washed bags. Whole carrots with tops attached last longer. Should be firm, not bendy.
How to store it
Remove green tops (they draw moisture). Fridge in sealed bag, up to 3 weeks. Get sweeter with cold storage.
Goes well with
cumin: Cumin's warm, earthy notes amplify carrot's sweetness and add a savoury dimension that makes carrots taste more substantial. A Middle Eastern and North African combination that has become universal.
ginger: Ginger's sharpness contrasts with carrot's sweetness and makes it taste more vivid. Used together in soups and juices, the combination has more energy than either alone.
honey: Honey amplifies carrot's existing sweetness and caramelises it beautifully when roasted. The combination sounds redundant but creates a lacquer that neither could produce alone.
coriander: Coriander seed and carrot is a classic North African pairing. The citrusy, slightly floral spice sits against carrot's earthiness and adds aromatic lift.
butter: Fat carries carrot's beta-carotene, and the body absorbs this nutrient much better with fat present. Glazed carrots with butter are nutritionally better than plain boiled carrots. A useful coincidence.
Recipes
Honey Roasted Carrots
Caramelised, sweet, easy.
Ingredients: 6 carrots, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp cumin, salt
Method: Cut carrots in half lengthways. Toss with honey, oil, cumin, salt. Roast 200C for 25 min until caramelised.
Carrot & Coriander Soup
The best simple soup.
Ingredients: 500g carrots, 1 onion, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1L stock, knob butter, fresh coriander
Method: Sweat onion in butter. Add chopped carrots and ground coriander. Add stock. Simmer 20 min. Blend until smooth. Serve with fresh coriander.
Carrot Cake
Moist, spiced, crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients: 3 carrots (grated), 200g flour, 200g sugar, 3 eggs, 150ml oil, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda, 50g walnuts
Method: Mix oil, sugar, eggs. Fold in flour, cinnamon, baking soda. Stir in carrot and walnuts. Pour into lined tin. Bake 170C for 40 min. Optional cream cheese icing.
Nutrition
One medium carrot provides 200% of your daily vitamin A from beta-carotene. Also provides 10% of your vitamin K and fibre. About 25 calories per carrot. Your body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A on demand, so unlike supplements, you can't overdose (though eating enormous quantities can temporarily turn your skin orange). You would need 4 multivitamin tablets to match the beta-carotene in a single carrot.