How to choose Imperator carrots with Eric Briffard?
According to the saying, “eating carrot makes you kind.” The Two-starred Chef Éric Briffard, now resident at the Institut du Cordon Bleu Paris, helps us select some lovely carrots this week.
The carrot comes from the Apapae family, just as fennel. With 332,000 tonnes harvested per year for the fresh market, France is the fourth producer in Europe. Carrot is the second favorite vegetable in France, it is very familiar to us. But do we really know it?
How to choose and store it
When choosing a carrot, look for one with a smooth skin and a strong colour. The more pronounced the colour, the sweeter the taste of the carrot. If your carrot breaks like glass, it is a very good quality.
Imperator carrots are harvested with their foliage, the so-called ‘tops’ which guarantee freshness.
Carrot tops can be stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator in the crisper. Do you want to keep them longer? Cut the tops off flush with the carrot, otherwise the carrot will try to maintain the strength of its tops by pumping reserves into the root, which will cause it to deteriorate more quickly.
Extra tip: to avoid waste, use carrot tops to flavour soups, broths or salads.
Whatever storage method you choose, keep carrots separate from ethylene-producing fruit and vegetables. As it is sensitive to ethylene, this hormone will cause it to rot more quickly!
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