Portuguese Sweet & Sour Carrots

The other vegetable I served for our Portuguese feast was Portuguese sweet & sour carrots, also known as conserva de cenoura or cenouras temperadas. They are the Portuguese version of pickled carrots. They were very popular in the Southern Algarve region of Portugal. We enjoyed them there too.

Portuguese Sweet & Sour Carrots

These are carrots marinated in olive oil garlic, white wine vinegar and paprika. They are best when marinated overnight and served later, at room temperature.

1 TBSP kosher salt

6 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

2 TBSP white wine vinegar

1 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp fresh thyme and/or oregano

1-2 tsp paprika

fresh ground black pepper to taste

Blanche the carrots in boiling hot water for about 3-5 minutes, then immediately dip into ice cold water and let set for a bit to stop the cooking process.

Whisk together all the other ingredients and add the carrots. Toss everything together once again. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove them from the refrigerator at least an hour before serving to get them to room temperature.

They are exactly what you would expect; sweet from the carrots and sour or tangy from the vinegar and garlic. They are great as an appetizer or as a side dish for a main meal.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.