This past September I cooked for a number of private dinners and a couple of weddings on Salt Spring Island, B.C. It's a special place, naturally beautiful and is the home to an eclectic, vibrant community.

For a chef, the island is particularly of interest, as during the summer it is absolutely brimming with beautiful local produce. There are two farmer's markets a week, and roadside farm stands are always full of organic eggs, fresh vegetables and fruits. It really is a chef's dream.

I made this carrot dish for one of the weddings I did, since the farm where it was being held had an abundance of beautiful baby carrots. My crew and I jumped at the prospect of using them. We came up with this recipe after the usual inspiration-seeking on the internet, and a few rounds of R&D with my sous chef.

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I think preserved lemon makes this dish. You can get it in any Middle Eastern grocer or at many specialty food stores. If you can't find it, zest a lemon and squeeze about two or three tablespoons of its juice into the carrots for that hit of much-needed acidity.

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