Carrot Raisin Citrus Salad

Oh, this potluck staple brings back memories. I loved it so much as a kid, but as an adult this is the salad I always walk right by. As a grown up I’m no longer such a fan of vegetables swimming in mayonnaise.

But the other day Bear made an enormous batch of Carrot Cake Cupcakes for his staff, and he had a bunch of shredded carrots left over. I thought I’d see if I could do something with them that reminded me of a childhood favorite in a way my adult self didn’t get grossed out by.

Carrot Raisin Citrus Salad
2 C shredded carrots
1/4 C raisins
1 C mayo
1 T white wine vinegar
3 T orange flavored olive oil
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Mix all the ingredients, except the raisins and carrots, together. I had some fancy artisan orange infused olive oil around, so I used that. If you don’t have any then scale back a tablespoon on the mayonnaise, and add some orange juice. I featured my favorite olive oil made locally here in Modesto, and their stuff is unreal. It’s available here.

Toss the carrots and raisins in the sauce and let chill. This is better once it’s had overnight to marinate.

I really love how the citrus flavor brightens this salad and makes it stop just tasting like mayonnaise. I kept it in the fridge and just snagged a few forkfuls at a time as I was going about my day. Delicious.