Local Pennsylvania carrots — fresh ones from the farm, wildly juicy and sweet — deserve so much more than a back corner of a crudité platter! For a gorgeous side dish, perfect with any animal protein, or as part a vegetarian spread, fire up the oven and roast them. If the only hot preparation of carrots you’ve ever tried is steamed or stir fried, prepare for a flavor explosion! Like sweet potatoes and other root veggies, roasting brings out carrots’ wonderful earthy sweetness. Double down on the flavor by adding some simple spices and garnishes. We’ve got two ways to try.
Pro tip: If you have the luck of buying slender carrots, leave them whole for a stunning presentation.
Roasted Carrots
Chipotle Honey Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- Fresh PA carrots, peeled and sliced in half or left whole
- PA honey
- Good quality olive oil
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Method
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Toss the carrots with olive oil and honey, and season with salt, pepper and chipotles, to taste.
- Spread the carrot mixture out evenly on a roasting pan. Roast for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice throughout the process.
- Once roasted and soft, remove the carrots from the oven. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.
Spice Rub Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- Fresh PA carrots, peeled and sliced in half or left whole
- Good quality olive oil
- Dried paprika, cumin, turmeric and chili powder
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Tahini
- Fresh lemons, halved
- Pistachios, shelled, toasted and chopped
- Feta cheese, crumbled
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Toss the carrots with olive oil, season with paprika, cumin, turmeric, chili powder and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spread out the carrot mixture evenly on a roasting pan. Roast for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice throughout the process.
- While the carrots are roasting, make the lemon tahini sauce. Squeeze some juice from a lemon or two, and stir into the tahini and add a sprinkle of salt.
- When the carrots are roasted and soft, remove from the oven. Drizzle with the lemon tahini sauce, and garnish with chopped pistachios and feta crumbles. Serve warm.
- Photo and recipes: Dish Works
