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:
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
