With ten pounds of carrots taking up space in my crisper bins, I knew it was time to apply myself to finding new and creative uses for them. Unfortunately, no one I know will eat carrot salad (mayonnaise, raisins, marshmallows) or I could make a big tub of the Midwestern favourite and call it a day. Given the hot weather here, creamed carrots didn't sound too promising either. I do have a recipe for a spiced carrot pie, but again, that just sounds too autumnal for a day in the mid 90's.
I settled on a carrot "pudding" (kugel, loaf, or whatever your particular culture calls it). Before I launch into the recipe, I have to share a funny story about "pudding."
Years ago, my husband worked in an office at Coolidge Corner in Brookline, Massachusetts. Businesses tend to fold pretty quickly in that location, though I've never really understood why. The location is great, good public transportation, upscale clientele-but for whatever reason, most places would be shuttered within a matter of months. This was something I would have expected bankers to take into consideration when handing out loans to small businesses which made it all the more suprising when a take-out pudding shop opened for business. Personally, I can't imagine sitting across from a banker and telling him/her that I need capital for a business called "Pudding It First". At least, not with a straight face. But someone did, and it closed shortly after opening.
I never went, but my husband did and he had ordered some sort of potato kugel that he said was actually pretty good, but that the place was empty. They did savouries as well as sweets, which might have led to some confusion over just what "pudding" meant. The old adage is true; you can't be all things to all people. Or at least all puddings.
Growing up, my mother had an old crockery bowl with a lovely blue glaze on it that was her "pudding pot." The only thing she ever baked in it was some mixture of leftover mashed potatoes with a new potato grated in, seasoned with butter and a ton of pepper and then baked. Sort of like boxty in a bowl. Anyway, it never would have occurred to her that the chocolate cornstarch stuff served cold could ever be mistaken for a vegetable dish, as she almost never made sweets. In our house pudding meant leftover potatoes, or maybe noodles with a bit of cottage cheese and cinnamon-but never chocolate.
So carrot pudding it is, and if anyone reaches this post via a search engine and is disappointed, my apologies in advance as I really just don't know what else to call it. I do think you will enjoy it, as it is quite flavourful with the addition of a large quantity of sage-but it is decidedly not dessert.
You Will Need:
2 cups grated carrots
2 cups crushed saltines (use the food processor)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 onion, finely grated
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons sage
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1-cup light cream (in some places this is called Half and Half)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the carrots, onion, crackers, cheese, salt, pepper and sage. In another bowl, beat the eggs and cream and then add to the other mixture. Pour into a well-greased loaf pan and bake for 1-½ hours.
I settled on a carrot "pudding" (kugel, loaf, or whatever your particular culture calls it). Before I launch into the recipe, I have to share a funny story about "pudding."
Years ago, my husband worked in an office at Coolidge Corner in Brookline, Massachusetts. Businesses tend to fold pretty quickly in that location, though I've never really understood why. The location is great, good public transportation, upscale clientele-but for whatever reason, most places would be shuttered within a matter of months. This was something I would have expected bankers to take into consideration when handing out loans to small businesses which made it all the more suprising when a take-out pudding shop opened for business. Personally, I can't imagine sitting across from a banker and telling him/her that I need capital for a business called "Pudding It First". At least, not with a straight face. But someone did, and it closed shortly after opening.
I never went, but my husband did and he had ordered some sort of potato kugel that he said was actually pretty good, but that the place was empty. They did savouries as well as sweets, which might have led to some confusion over just what "pudding" meant. The old adage is true; you can't be all things to all people. Or at least all puddings.
Growing up, my mother had an old crockery bowl with a lovely blue glaze on it that was her "pudding pot." The only thing she ever baked in it was some mixture of leftover mashed potatoes with a new potato grated in, seasoned with butter and a ton of pepper and then baked. Sort of like boxty in a bowl. Anyway, it never would have occurred to her that the chocolate cornstarch stuff served cold could ever be mistaken for a vegetable dish, as she almost never made sweets. In our house pudding meant leftover potatoes, or maybe noodles with a bit of cottage cheese and cinnamon-but never chocolate.
So carrot pudding it is, and if anyone reaches this post via a search engine and is disappointed, my apologies in advance as I really just don't know what else to call it. I do think you will enjoy it, as it is quite flavourful with the addition of a large quantity of sage-but it is decidedly not dessert.
You Will Need:
2 cups grated carrots
2 cups crushed saltines (use the food processor)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 onion, finely grated
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons sage
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1-cup light cream (in some places this is called Half and Half)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the carrots, onion, crackers, cheese, salt, pepper and sage. In another bowl, beat the eggs and cream and then add to the other mixture. Pour into a well-greased loaf pan and bake for 1-½ hours.
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