Tag Archives: cilantro

Roasted Spicy Carrot and Onion Bruschetta

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This mixture is yummy, but I admit I love a roasted root (well, really anything roasted to be truthful). The carrots come out of the oven all soft, sweet and caramelized. I’m not a cooked carrot fan, but the turn in the heat does something downright magical here, that I can’t resist. You can dress these beauties with lemon juice and/or fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro, but even without you’ll be spreading this mushy, pumpkin-colored goodness on everything from lavash, to crusty bread to a clean finger. And here’s a secret, even vegetable-haters have admitted to liking this one…

(Serves 4 as part of a larger meal, 2 as the main course)

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 pound peeled carrots, cut into uniformly-sized cubes (about 3/4 inch)
  • 1 medium onion, cut into chunks the same size as carrots
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon raw sesame seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Fresh herbs, chopped (such as parsley or cilantro, optional)

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 ° F. Place carrots and onions on a baking sheet, toss with oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes until starting to brown. Remove from oven, turn veggies and place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the pan. Return to the oven and roast until very soft (about 15-20 more minutes).
  2. Pan roast sesame, mustard and cumin seeds in a small dry skillet, over medium heat. Be careful to stir frequently and watch the pan so the spices don’t burn. Cook until sesame seeds begin to turn golden and spices are fragrant. Remove from heat and partially cool. Grind to a coarse powder with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Or place into a clean paper bag and roll over the bag with a rolling pin to grind.
  3. Place roasted vegetables into a bowl and mash carrots with a fork to a coarse texture (see photo). Sprinkle with spice mixture and add salt and pepper as necessary. Squeeze some lemon juice on top and add some chopped herbs for serving, if you like. Spread on toasted crusty bread drizzled with good-quality olive oil.

Persian Appetizer of Bread, Cheese and Herbs (Nan-0 Panir-o Sabzi_

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Herbs occupy an important place on the Persian table where they are offered with most every meal — radish, tarragon, basil, cilantro, mint, and parsley — whatever’s fresh and in season. Salty feta cheese is cut into cubes and thin lavash bread completes the combination. I also like to spread a yogurt and shallot mixture called mast-o-musir, even if it’s not traditional.

Ingredients:

  • Assorted fresh herbs, rinsed and cut into sprigs (cilantro, mint, basil, parsley, tarragon, dill)
  • Radishes, rinsed, tops removed and sliced
  • Green onions, roots and stalks trimmed (optional)
  • Feta cheese, drained and cut into cubes
  • Lavash, cut into rectangles about 2 by 4 inches

Method:

  1. Arrange herbs, onions and radishes in the middle of a large platter.
  2. Add bread and cheese on either side.
  3. Eat by choosing which elements you want to put together. Lavash, a cube of feta, some herbs and a radish on top, for instance.

Note: For mast-o-musir mix strained, plain yogurt (or plain Greek yogurt) with finely minced shallot (to taste). Wonderful spread on any kind of bread.

Indian Mint and Cilantro Chutney (Pudina aur Dhaniya Chutney)

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(Makes ½ cup)

This recipe is adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor’s How to Cook Indian, an excellent resource for anyone serious about learning to cook Indian food. Pair with potato samosas (make your own or purchase from an Indian market). Jazz up a sandwich or burger with a dollop.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
  • ½ cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 2-3 green chiles, stemmed and chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Salt to taste

Method:

  1. Put the cilantro, mint and chiles into a small food processor or blender. Add ¼ cup water (or more depending on desired consistency) and sugar, and process to a smooth paste.
  2. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice and season with salt to taste.

Persimmon Salsa

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Fuyu persimmons contribute to an outstanding salsa—and at a time when we’ve nearly accepted that salsa season is over until summer. Adjust ingredient amounts to suit your tastes. More ginger for spice, lime for tang, cilantro or mint for brightness, red pepper flakes for heat. Serve with tortilla chips as an appetizer or on a simple black bean taco.

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Moroccan Carrot Salad

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Many Moroccan carrot salads rely on cooked veggies—I prefer using the raw roots. Try tossing in a few mint leaves too, if you have them. A trick for julienning:  use an OXO handheld julienne peeler.  The tool turns out long, thin strips like magic.  Otherwise, a sharp knife does the job as well.  To make the task easier, first cut peeled carrots lengthwise, into long, thin strips.  Then cut those slices lengthwise into thin, parallel strips.

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