We bought my grandmother a food processor, but she continued to use her hand-cranked shredder for grating. Made of cast aluminum, it was a sturdy beast that attached to the counter with a vise. She would peel the carrots and Dede would patiently shred them into a large bowl for carrot slaw. This recipe is a bit more complex in flavor and technique than Meme’s, and I use a food processor to shred the vegetables. Just make sure you shred the carrots first! To prevent the beets from staining the carrots when mixed in the salad, the key is to dress the beets before combining with the carrots. This seals in their red pigments (betalains), which don’t dissolve in oil.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　2 small shallots, finely chopped

　　1 clove garlic, finely chopped

　　1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

　　Juice of 2 lemons

　　1/2 cup walnut oil

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

　　5 large carrots, finely shredded

　　6 small to medium fresh beets, peeled and finely shredded

　　

Step 1

To make the dressing, whisk together the shallot, garlic, mustard, and lemon juice in a bowl. Add the walnut oil in a slow stream and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper; mix in the chopped walnuts. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

In separate bowls, toss the carrots with half the dressing and the beets with the remainder. Taste each and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 3

Once the vegetables are separately dressed, they may be combined and served, or refrigerated and held separately for up to several hours before combining (you may either bring to room temperature or serve chilled). Serve immediately after the carrots and beets are mixed.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.