Travel Diary: Return to the Algarve
Remembering, Resilience + Recipe: Marinated Carrots of Southern Portugal
Our return to the sun-drenched coast of the Algarve wasn’t only a few days of respite; it was a quiet pilgrimage, a seeking of echoes from a time just before a profound shift in our lives. Just weeks after our first visit to this beautiful coast, nearly seven years ago, my world tilted on its axis after a breast cancer diagnosis. It was when I was offered pink lemonade during breast cancer awareness month on our return flight home that I knew I needed to press my doctor for a test. The vibrant memories of our days spent in Portugal became a bittersweet comfort, a whisper of normalcy before the storm. Among those cherished whispers? The bright taste of Algarve Marinated Carrots.
Despite not being a lover of carrots, I remember falling for the way the root veg is typically prepared along the Southern Portuguese coastline. Served as a simple side, often part of the couvert that first arrives at the table alongside bread and olives. The carrots are part of the prelude to what is likely a grilled, fish-filled feast.
The brilliance of these carrots lies in their quiet complexity: the earthiness of the carrot transformed by a marinade that sings of sunshine and sea. Each bite a burst of tangy delight, a testament to how something simple can be so profoundly satisfying. Returning to the taste all these years on brought me to tears of joy.
While in Southern Portugal, we also made a return visit to Monchique, a charming town nestled in the hills above the coast, built around thermal baths. Seven years ago, the area surrounding Monchique was scarred by a devastating wildfire. The landscape was raw, blackened, and starkly beautiful in its resilience. Looking back, that scorched earth feels like a foretelling, a vivid, if unwelcome, metaphor for what was to come with my health. The sense of something wild and destructive tearing through a familiar landscape, leaving behind a need for healing and rebirth.
Returning this time, the earth has recovered to lushness. And, the flavors and places have become more than just memories; they’ve become a bridge connecting me to that earlier, unknowing self… and to the strength I’ve found in the years that have followed. Recreating these carrots in my own kitchen is life-filled magic, a joyful re-engagement with a place and a palate (and former version of myself) that holds such significant emotional gravity and beauty. Few things resonate with me more than the profound meaningfulness of memory, in both food and life.
Algarve Marinated Carrots
Ingredients:
5-6 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds, elegant sticks, or rustic gems
1-2 bay leaves
2-3 cloves garlic, thinly grated on a microplane
1/4 of a sweet onion, finely diced
1/4 cup quality olive oil
2-3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
A whisper of red pepper flakes (optional, if you like a gentle hum of heat)
Fresh cilantro (or parsley), a tiny handful (~2-3 Tablespoons)
A generous kiss of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions:
Bring a pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add sliced carrots and bay leaves to the pot for about 5 minutes, until the carrots yield tender and crisp when poked with a knife, retaining their vibrancy. Immediately, like a sudden dive into the cool Atlantic, plunge them into the marinade to soak up and meld the flavors.
In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, onion, sweet paprika, cumin, cilantro, and those tiny sparks of red pepper. Season the marinade with sea salt and pepper, tasting for balance.
Add the blanched carrots to the aromatic bath. Toss to ensure every single slice is coated.
Transfer to a container, cover it with a gentle seal, and let it rest in the cool of your refrigerator for at least 2 hours. If you can bear the wait, allow the flavors to deepen overnight. The extra time in the marinade is truly transformational.
Before serving, give the carrots a stir. And, enjoy!
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