Carrot Ring

Carrot ring makes for a very elegant presentation, especially for a vegetarian meal when nothing is quite the star. A carrot ring is only maybe an inch or two high - this picture creates an illusion of it being much larger. First ingredient is a silver tray or other serious serving dish.

This is a Midwestern dish from the post-war era.  It is essentially a carrot bread baked in a ring mold.  I have always used margarine so it's parve but you could certainly use butter for a dairy entree.  My mother liked to make it for holidays and an occasional Friday night dinner.  Molds are always a little temperamental, but fun.

First, grease a ring mold well - spray with oil, and then use the leftover margarine on the wrapper to schmear it some more.  This is what makes it cooperative when you unmold it.

Now you can probably, come to think of it, buy a non-stick ring mold!

1 stick margarine (or butter) - 8 oz
½ c. brown sugar
2 to 3 large carrots, shredded (~ 1 cup)
1 egg
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. water
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
½ t. baking power
½ c. whole wheat flour
¾ c. white flour
½ t. soda
Frozen peas (yes, frozen peas.  Also good for Indian dishes, and icing sore muscles!)

It is usually easiest to shred the carrots by hand.  It is not that much work and in my experience, in the food processor there are often large chunks of carrot that don't process.

In a large bowl, cream the margarine by hand or with a hand mixer.
Add sugar and egg.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Place in tablespoons or spatula full clumps in the ring mold, so that it is evenly filled.

Bake at 275° or 300° for about an hour. Cook the peas in a covered sauce pan for 5 or 10 minutes.
Gently, with knife, loosen the carrot ring edges.  Place the serving tray over the mold and then invert it, tapping out the mold.  Serve with the drained peas in the center.
 Hope it worked for you!

Tsimess

I haven't made this tsimess for a long time, but it is a particularly good recipe.  I now have most of my favorites up on this blog and decided adding this one would be a good way to make sure I don't lose this recipe which was from the Teaneck Sisterhood Cookbook back in the day.  The spices are lovely - sometimes you can find them pre-mixed, called Pumpkin Pie Spices.

Basically any combination of carrots, sweet potatoes, prunes, and some OJ would make a good tsimess.  It is a very flexible dish.  I modified this one by adding a can of pumpkin, which thickens it and is extremely nutritious.

1 lb. peeled, sliced carrots or frozen serrated carrots
2 peeled, cubed sweet potatoes
1 can pumpkin
3 T. margarine (or butter, if it's dairy)
1 c. water
½ c. honey
2 T. brown sugar
½ t. ginger
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
2 T lemon juice or one fresh lemon's juice

Mix all the ingredients in a large covered ovenproof pan.  Cook at 350 for 2 hours.