Brown Butter Glazed Carrots with Toasted Hazelnuts

Here's a unique carrot and hazelnut side dish that is both simple and delicious. Carrots and hazelnuts pair wonderfully well. The natural sweetness of the carrots complements the nutty and crunchy nature of the hazelnuts.

For extra flavor, I also added rosemary in brown butter for an earthier taste.

Cold Carrot Ginger Soup (Cappuccino De Carottes)

Cold soup in shot glasses can be served as a wonderfully refreshing summer appetizer or first course. Ginger is always very refreshing, so I use it often in summer dishes. Today, I made a cold carrot soup flavored with fresh ginger. I think the bright orange color is very representative of the season, especially enhanced by a touch a saffron.  

The carrots are cooked until softened, blended with a little cream until smooth, then chilled. I served the cold soup in individual glasses, which is an elegant start to any meal. To finish the dish, I garnished the soup with cumin-flavored whipped cream and a piece of candied ginger as a reminder of the flavoring inside.

Dried Apricot and Carrot Salad on Betel Leaves

Lulu's aunt, Sara, gave Daddy a betel leaf plant a few months ago. It has grown from a small vine into a prolific producer of fragrant leaves. Daddy loves chewing areca nuts wrapped in a betel leaf. It's very popular in India (paan parag) as well as Vietnam (trầu). In much of Southeast Asia, betel leaves are used to make a salad.

For the shredded carrot salad I made today, I decided to use the fresh betel leaves as a serving dish of sorts. To the shredded carrots, I added diced dried apricots and a fresh, thinly shredded kaffir lime leaf. The combination of the ingredients worked very well together. Betel leaves have a peppery taste and the kaffir lime has a nice citrus-y aroma. In keeping with the Asian theme, I made a peanut and tamarind dressing to brighten up the dish and tie all the flavors together.