Maple Roasted Carrots with Lemon Tahini Drizzle
We've been growing beets and carrots in our container garden this winter/spring season, and I just love pulling those colorful babies out of ground by their cute little green tufts. There is a thrill in the anticipation...not knowing exactly the size and shape root that will emerge from beneath the soil. Sometimes I even uncover an earthworm and plenty of deep rich soil to shake off.
Holding these nuggets of nature's candy in my hands, I've been inspired to experiment with various preparations of this nutrient dense delight with tasty results. If you've never tried them, carrot tops make an excellent pesto. Simply substitute the tops (remove the stems) for the parsley or basil in your favorite recipe. I've also been enjoying soups made with vegetable stock, turmeric, ginger and cooked carrots pureed. It's a warming and elegantly spicy-sweet start to any weeknight meal.
And then there's this Maple Roasted Carrot dish that emerged from my desire to add some richness and flair to an old favorite: roasted carrots. The maple caramelizes the roots and green tips just enough to provide texture and chewiness, and the lemon tahini drizzle brings brightness to an otherwise very decadent recipe. Garnished at last with seeds, fresh herbs and flowers, you have a garden celebration on your plate in honor of the labor of love that went into growing those tasty morsels. Let's hop to it!
maple roasted carrots with lemon tahini drizzle
YIELD: 6 servings
PREP: 20 minutes
COOK: 25 minutes
READY IN: 45 minutes
Multi-color carrots roasted in maple syrup make for a decadent side dish. Then drizzle them with lemon tahini sauce, pomegranate seeds and fresh herbs for a bright and colorful delight.
Ingredients
2 bunches of small-medium size carrots, multicolor with stems
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp grassfed ghee (or butter)
Bunch of fresh herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, sage and/or mint)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon
1 Tbsp raw tahini
Handful of pomegranate and sprouted pumpkin seeds
Lavender, basil or other flowers for garnish
Course sea salt to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Wash carrots and trim greens to about 1 inch above the root top. Reserve greens for pesto or another preparation.
- If using small carrots, keep full size, or cut in half lengthwise. No need to peel if you are using organic carrots.
- Place carrots in cast iron skillet and drizzle with maple syrup and ghee. Roast, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes until tender and starting to caramelizing. You may want to stir at the 10 minute mark to evenly distribute ghee and syrup.
- While carrots roast, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and tahini until creamy. You can add additional tahini if we want a thicker consistency for your dressing.
- Gently mince herbs and stir some into the dressing, leaving the remaining for garnish.
- Remove roasted carrots from oven and place on a serving plate with tops all facing the same direction.
- Use a spoon to drizzle dressing across carrots in a wide stripe. Then sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, herbs, flowers and sea salt to serve.
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