Carrots three ways: carrot tahini, roasted and pickled
In late summer I received a bag of heirloom carrots, small, delicate and so fresh that they lasted a while in my fridge. I wanted to do something special with them because they were given to me by a special family that grows produce with love and integrity (sunshine farm seeds) and I wanted to honour their work and extend it to my kitchen.
I thought I’d follow the trend of cooking and serving one vegetable in different ways in one dish and composed this recipe with that in mind. I made a carrot tahini to spread on the bottom, topped by roasted heirloom carrots and then scattered quick pickled heirloom carrot ribbons on top. This way I covered the “requirements” of textures (soft and crunchy) and flavours (salty, sweet and tangy). For added crunch I made caramel hazelnuts that I scattered on top of the dish. For freshness, pearly and juicy pomegranate seeds burst in your mouth with every bite.
It turned out to be a lovely dish hence I am sharing it here.
Ingredients and directions:
The carrots:
About 1 1/2 lb of small multi coloured carrots (set a few aside for the pickling below).
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoons coarse sea salt
Wash and trim carrots but do not peel if possible.
Toss carrots with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast in 400ºF oven until cooked but not mushy.
Remove and set aside.
Carrot tahini:
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces
3 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil or as needed
1/2 cup tahini paste
Juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water or as needed
Peel carrots and cut in 1/5 inch pieces, place in a bowl together with garlic cloves.
Place cumin and coriander seeds in a small skillet and cook until fragrant, a couple of minutes, being careful not to burn the spices.
Remove from heat, add species to the oil and drizzle over the carrots.
Roast the carrots in 400ºF oven until lightly golden and cooked through, then remove and let cool.
Place carrots, garlic clove (without the peel), tahini, lemon juice and salt in a blender or a food processor and blend until mixed and had the consistency of a hummus or tahini. Add the water as necessary to thin out the paste. Taste and adjust the seasoning adding salt, pepper and/or lemon juice as necessary.
Remove to a bowl.
Pickled carrots:
About 10 small multi coloured carrots, sliced very thinly on a mandolin and placed in ab owl or a glass jar.
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup water
Combine sugar, water and vinegar in a small pot and bring to a simmer, cooking until sugar dissolves.
Pour liquid over the carrot ribbons and refrigerate until needed.
Caramelized hazelnuts:
1 cup hazelnuts
2 tablespoons sugar
Place hazelnuts and sugar in a small skillet over medium heat and cook until sugar melts and coat the hazelnuts.
Spread over a parchment sheet until cool.
Chop roughly with a knife.
Pomegranates:
Maker an X on the top part of the fruit, break into 4 segments and carefully remove the seeds keeping them whole.
Assembling:
Smear a good patch of hummus tahini on the bottom of the plate.
Arrange the roasted carrots over decoratively.
Arrange some of the pickled carrots here and there.
Scatter caramelized hazelnuts and some of the pomegranate seeds over.
Garnish with micro-green or baby arugula..
Serve at room temperature.
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