Programs
Med School Education
Education Program
Policy Maker Education
Sustaining Life
Climate Change Futures
Healthy Ocean, Healthy Humans
Healthy and Sustainable Food
Eating for Your Health and the Environment
New England Seasonal Guide
Mid-Atlantic Seasonal Guide
Request a Pocket Guide
Scientists and Evangelicals Initiative
Archives
Address:
Harvard Medical School
401 Park Drive, 2nd Floor East
Boston, MA 02215
Tel: 617.384.8530
Fax: 617.384.8585
General Email Address
Directions
|
|
Healthy and Sustainable Food
 Carrots
DATES AVAILABLE:
New England: July through late November; Storage: 4-6 months
Mid-Atlantic: Late June through November; Storage: 4-6 months
Depending on when the ground freezes hard, carrots may be available fresh dug as late as January.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION:
Carrots are root vegetables (Daucus carota var. sativa, Umbelliferae) that originated in Asia and the Mediterranean. Although bright orange is the color most commonly associated with carrots, yellow, red, and purple varieties can be found as well. Indeed, carrots can be divided into two main groups distinguished by the pigments they contain. Anthocyanin carrots come from central Asia and range in color from purple-red to black with yellow cores. They are still eaten there as well as in Afghanistan, Egypt and Spain. Because anthocyanin pigments are water soluble, these carrots lose their color when used in watery dishes like soup. The Dutch are thought to have created the bright-orange carotene carrots common today in the 17th century. Pigments in carotene carrots are oil-soluble; therefore their color remains when cooked in dishes containing water. All carrot varieties are crisp, crunchy, sweet, and earthy. With age, carrots lose some of their sweetness, becoming bitterer. Carrots have always been a popular vegetable and are reputed to improve eyesight because of their rich beta-carotene content, the highest of any vegetable.
VARIETIES:
There are over 100 varieties of carrots ranging from 2 inches to 3 feet long and up to 2 ½ inches thick. “Nelson,” carrots are best early in the season. They have 6” deep orange, cylindrical, blunt ended roots that can also be harvested young as baby carrots. “Mokum” are also best early. They are slender and pencil shaped orange roots with a small core and their high sugar content makes them sweet. The Nantes varieties are available mid-season and have broad, long, uniform roots. “Nantes Fancy” has 7 inch orange roots that store well and have good flavor. “Scarlet Nantes” is bright orange with a hint of red and a sweet core. Carrots available during the height of the season include “Danvers 126,” “Bolero,” “Atomic Red,” and “Purple Haze.” “Danvers 126” are thick stumpy orange-red roots about 7” long. “Bolero” is vividly orange with a thick, slightly tapered root. It stores well, can be used for juice, and can also be harvested early. “Atomic Red” grows up to 9,” is coral red with a hint of purple on the outside with an orange core. Its color contrast is brilliant when cut. Cooking not only deepens its color, but also its mild and sweet parsnip-like flavor. “Purple Haze” has a very long root that grows up to 10 or 12 inches. Although its root is purple with a vivid orange center when raw, cooking fades the purple hue.
USING CARROTS:
Choose brightly colored carrots for their substantially high beta-carotene content. The roots should be dry but not cracked, and firm not limp. Inspect the greens if they are still attached, they should be feathery and bright green; dark or dry greens are a sign of age. Carrots should not be stored damp. They do not require peeling, but if desired can be peeled just before eating. Carrots can be cut into sticks and eaten raw alone or with dips. Carrots can be juiced, steamed, roasted, or boiled, and are a tasty addition to salads, soups, side dishes, and baked goods including cakes, cookies, breads, and muffins. Take care not to overcook as this will deplete the nutrient content.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
One cup of chopped carrots provides 52 calories, 13%, 21%, and 12% of daily requirements for vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium, respectively. Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, a good source of fiber, and a modest source of E, and the minerals and manganese.
STORAGE:
General: Carrots can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. They last longer if they retain their moisture so trim the greens off and wrap the roots in a ventilated plastic bag. Ethylene gas makes carrots bitter, so take care to store them away from fruits and vegetables that produce this gas including apples and pears. Carrots can also be stored in a dark, cool place (about 33 degrees F). Cool temperatures help carrots preserve their flavors.
Freezing: Carrots also keep nicely frozen. Trim the green and the tails, peel, slice into manageable pieces, and blanch. Once blanched, store in an airtight container in the freezer where they will keep for about a year.
Drying: For drying, carrots should be peeled and cut into slices or strips 1/8 of an inch thick and blanched. Estimated drying time is 10-12 hours in a dehydrator.
Canning: Sliced carrots can be canned using a pressure canner. Carrots can also be pickled.
|
