I think one of the first big family meals with Lisa and family involved this delicious carrot salad that she had made.  It was so flavorful and pretty and this was one of the recipes that kickstarted my love of cooking and recipe swapping with Lisa.  (Plus she promised it was easy to make and so I was sold!)  This is one of those refreshing salads that is much more exciting than a salad of greens (though those can be delicious as well) and pairs extremely nicely with hearty meat dishes, such as the Siniyeh that I’ve posted about.

Ingredients

• 2.5-3 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into diagonal slices about ½” thick (for speed, you can purchase carrot chips)
• ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ cup Balsamic Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 4-5 large cloves garlic crushed or finely chopped
• 2T ground cumin
• 2T sweet paprika or Spanish paprika which has a smoky flavor
• ½ T Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
1. Cook carrots until tender but still firm
2. Whisk together all other ingredients and toss gently but thoroughly with warm carrots.

From Lisa!