Lebanese Carrots

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Recipe by Amanda DeLaura

These carrots are so sweet, tender, and tangy that you’ll be craving them as a side to compliment every lunch and dinner. They pair wonderfully with almost any protein and yield easily to substitutions. If you don’t have fresh thyme, roast the carrots with a quarter teaspoon of fresh rosemary. If you are dairy free, substitute the labneh for cocojune’s plain, unsweetened coconut yogurt. If you don’t have rosemary growing in your backyard, garnish the carrots with more fresh thyme or chopped mint. Let’s get peeling!

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp organic olive oil

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric

3 large carrots, trimmed & peeled

1 large turnip, trimmed & peeled

1 large parsnip, trimmed & peeled

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1/4 cup organic hempseeds

4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

1 Tbsp organic olive oil

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 cup unsweetened labneh or Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp maple syrup, optional

1/4 tsp real salt

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, optional for garnish

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the two tablespoons of olive oil, half teaspoon of paprika, cumin, and Chop the carrots turnip, and parsnip into large match sticks, being sure to keep them as close to the same size as possible so that they all cook at a similar rate. I tend to chop mine about three inches long and half an inch wide. If the carrots are thin, I cut the skinnier side in half and the thicker side into quarters. If the carrots are extra thick, I cut the skinner side into quarters and the thicker side into sixths. Toss the carrots, turnip and parsnip in the spiced olive oil mixture and carefully arrange them on the two prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the leaves from the thyme sprigs over the chopped carrots, turnips, and parsnips. Place both trays in the oven and bake for twenty-five minutes, flipping each carrot with a pair of tongs after fifteen minutes.
  1. Meanwhile, place the quarter cup hempseeds, four cloves crushed garlic, one tablespoon olive oil, and half teaspoon of lemon zest in small cast iron skillet. Heat the skillet over medium heat and cook the hempseeds till slightly browned and crispy, stirring often if not constantly for about three minutes. Be sure not to burn the hempseeds or garlic. If they are burning too quickly, reduce the heat as needed. Once the hempseeds are browned, remove the skillet from the heat and let cool. Whisk together the labneh, lemon juice, lemon zest, maple syrup, and salt in a small Place the bowl in the fridge until the carrots are ready.
  2. Remove the carrots from the oven after twenty-five minutes and season with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. They should be slightly browned and easily pierced with a fork. Scoop the labneh mixture into the center of a large serving dish and make a small well in the middle of the labneh. Pile the carrots over the labneh and garnish with the hempseed gremolata, fresh rosemary and additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
  3. If you wish to prepare this dish ahead of time, let the carrots cool completely and then stack them over the labneh mixture; store in the fridge and enjoy cold or at room temperature. Sprinkle hempseed gremolata right before serving to preserve the crunchy texture of the hempseeds and garlic.

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