In late September, I hosted a Moroccan dinner party for over thirty guests at Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrenceville, NJ. With a three course menu that included chicken and beef from the farm, couscous tossed with dried fruits, nut and orange blossom water and a rice pudding, the recipe I've been asked about most is the carrot salad. For that event, I made preserved lemons to use in the dressing. Those take several days or ideally weeks before they are ready to use. I've modified the recipe, so this dish can be enjoyed anytime the mood strikes you. Which in my case, is pretty often.

This salad is one of my favorites in the cooler months. Incredibly easy to make, yet redolent of spices and citrus, it wakes up the senses on a cool day. I am partial to using the wonderfully sweet, organic carrots grown by Chickadee Creek Farm. I'm always happy to find them at the farmers market. Now as the market season is winding down to the few last weekly markets and a smattering of monthly winter markets, stock up on local carrots. They store very well in the crisper drawer of the fridge. Carrots from the supermarket will yield delicious results, too.

ROASTED CARROT SALAD WITH CINNAMON AND CUMIN
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients for the salad:
1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into sticks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspooncinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups mixed salad greens

Ingredients for the dressing:
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread cut carrots in single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with spices, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast until tender, about twenty minutes.
Combine honey and lemon juice in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently dress the greens with the dressing. Top with the spiced carrots.

SCRAPTACULAR TIP: If you peel the carrots, store the trimmed stem ends and peels in a freezer bag. When I have accumulated two or three gallon sized bags ofvegetable scraps and bones, I make a big batch of stock.