Honey-Kissed Carrots with Sea Salt
The opposing flavors of sweet honey and flaky sea salt balance this beautiful side.
Ingredients:
1 bunch carrots, ends trimmed
¼ cup olive oil
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoons sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Tomme, Grana or Parmesan cheese, for grating
Method:
1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil, thyme, bay and garlic. When the oil is hot, add the carrots and cook, tossing often, for 7 to 9 minutes, or until tender.
2. Taste for seasoning, then add the honey and coat the carrots, tossing a few times before transferring to a serving dish. Sprinkle the sea salt evenly on the carrots, making sure it sticks to the honey. Lastly, add a couple of twists of black pepper and grated cheese if desired.
Honey-Glazed Baby Carrots
The inherent sweetness of carrots is further enhanced in this glazed side dish from local chef John Sundstrom’s Lark: Cooking Against the Grain.
Ingredients:
1¼ pounds baby carrots
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 ½ tablespoons honey
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Prepare an ice bath. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Boil the carrots for 2-3 minutes until just tender. Strain the carrots from water and immediately place them in the ice bath.
2. Remove the carrot skin by gently rubbing it off with a dry kitchen towel. (It should come off quite easily.)
3. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add honey and butter to the pan and melt together. Add the carrots and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Cook until the carrots are heated through and the honey and butter mixture has formed a sticky glaze. Adjust seasoning to taste, serve hot.
Baby Beet & Carrot Salad with Herbed Crème Fraîche Dressing
This beautiful salad utilizes both the bright baby beets and tender greens.
Ingredients:
Dressing:
2 green onions, minced
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
½ cup crème fraîche
2 tablespoons minced dill
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 pound baby beets with greens (about 1-inch thick)
1 pound slender young carrots with greens (about 1/2-inch thick)1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. For the dressing: Whisk to combine green onion, garlic, and lemon zest and juice, onion and garlic powder, and sea salt in a small mixing bowl. Set aside to marinate for a few minutes. Fold in the crème fraîche, followed by the fresh herbs. Taste and add sea salt as needed. Cover and set in fridge to chill. Just before serving, whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons water to thin dressing as needed.
2. Preheat oven to 425°. Trim all but ¼-inch of beet and carrot greens (reserve beet greens), and thoroughly scrub vegetables. Set unpeeled beets in a small, 2-inch-deep baking pan. Add ½ inch of cold water and cover tightly with foil. Slide into oven and roast until beets are fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover beets, drain hot water, and set beets aside until cool enough to handle. Slice off beet tops and remove skin under cold running water, either with fingertips or a peeler. (Skin will come off very easily.) Quarter beets and sprinkle with sea salt.
3. Halve carrots and cut on the bias into 4-inch spears. Toss with olive oil and a pinch each sea salt and pepper. Scatter on a rimmed baking sheet and slide into oven to roast alongside beets 10 to 15 minutes, or until carrots just begin to curl up and the edges turn golden.
4. While vegetables cook, rinse and dry beet greens, and arrange leaves on a serving platter. Tuck beets and carrots into the greens. Spoon on the dressing, and finish with a few twists of pepper and minced parsley. Serve immediately.
Honey-Balsamic Roasted Carrots
This slam-dunk recipe from Domenica Marchetti’s The Glorious Vegetables of Italy beautiful combines both savory and sweet flavors.
Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Put carrots in a large roasting pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey and 2 teaspoons vinegar. Pour over carrots. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Toss gently to combine.
3. Roast carrots for 10 minutes; toss, roast for 15 minutes more, or until carrots are tender and browned in spots.
4. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with a few additional drops of vinegar and a dash of sea salt.
Honey & Thyme-Roasted Carrots with Quesco Fresco
A delightfully-fresh spin on roasted carrots.
Ingredients:
1 bunch carrots, peeled
2 teaspoon butter, melted
2 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon fresh thyme
â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper
â…› teaspoon smoked paprika
½ cup queso fresco, crumbled
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
2. In a small bowl melt butter in the microwave (about 15 seconds). Add honey, thyme, cayenne, smoked paprika and a pinch each salt and pepper to the melted butter and mix together.
3. Pour the seasoning mixture over carrots and toss to make sure they are evenly coated. Spread carrots out on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes.
4. Transfer roasted carrots to a serving dish and top with crumbled queso fresco and pomegranate seeds. Serve warm.
4. Transfer roasted carrots to a serving dish and top with crumbled feta and pomegranate seeds. Serve warm.
Roasted Golden Beets & Carrots with White Balsamic Dressing
This colorful dish is tossed with a slightly-sweet dressing anchored by fresh garlic scapes.
Ingredients:
6 golden beets, trimmed of greens, leaving 1-inch of stem attached
1 bunch carrots, trimmed of greens and cut into ¾-inch matchsticks
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped green herbs, such as parsley and mint
For dressing:
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
1-2 tablespoons honey
1 finely-minced garlic scape
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425°. Wrap beets tightly in foil and roast in the oven until tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, toss carrots with oil and salt and pepper to taste in a shallow baking pan.
2. Remove beets from oven and then roast carrots in the oven at the same temperature until tender, about 20 minutes.
3. While carrots are roasting, unwrap beets and, when just cool enough to handle, slip off skins and remove stems. Cut beets into wedges.
4. To make the vinaigrette, whisk olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, and garlic scapes together in a bowl until smooth.
5. Transfer carrots and beets to a serving platter and drizzle with the vinaigrette, seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with freshly-chopped herbs; can be served either warm or at room temperature.
Roasted Beet & Carrot Dip
This vibrant spread is delicious slathered on toasted bread or crackers.
Ingredients:
4-6 baby beets, trimmed and peeled
6 carrots, trimmed and peeled
1 medium-sized head of garlic, with the end cut off
3 tablespoons plus ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Quarter the beets and halve the carrots, then toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet, and slide into the oven. Roast 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and edges are a light golden brown, flipping vegetables halfway through.
2. Meanwhile, set out a 10-inch rectangle of foil. Set the head of garlic in the center, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Wrap the foil packet tightly around the garlic, set in a small ovenproof baking dish, and roast for about 15 minutes, or until cloves are soft and cooked through. Carefully open the foil packet, and set garlic aside until cool enough to handle. Squeeze the soft cloves out of the papery skin and set aside.
3. Place the roasted beets, carrots, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until broken down a bit. Then, with the food processor running, drizzle in the ½ cup olive oil, honey and a large pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed. Top dip with minced parsley and serve at room temperature.
Roasted Golden Beet & Carrot Dip
This vibrant spread is delicious slathered on toasted bread or crackers.
Ingredients:
6 baby golden beets, trimmed and peeled
6-8 baby carrots, trimmed and peeled
1 medium-sized head of garlic, with the end cut off
3 tablespoons plus ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Quarter the beets and halve the carrots, then toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet, and slide into the oven. Roast 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and edges are a light golden brown, flipping vegetables halfway through.
2. Meanwhile, set out a 10-inch rectangle of foil. Set the head of garlic in the center, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Wrap the foil packet tightly around the garlic, set in a small ovenproof baking dish, and roast for about 15 minutes, or until cloves are soft and cooked through. Carefully open the foil packet, and set garlic aside until cool enough to handle. Squeeze the soft cloves out of the papery skin and set aside.
3. Place the roasted beets, carrots, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until broken down a bit. Then, with food processor running, drizzle in the ½ cup olive oil, honey and a large pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed. Top dip with minced parsley and serve at room temperature.
Carrot & Apple Saute with Rosemary
This beautiful combination sings with fresh flavor.
Ingredients:
1 bunch carrots, trimmed of greens, peeled and chopped into matchsticks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges
2 tablespoons finely-chopped shallots
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Put the carrots in a skillet and add just enough salted water to cover. Cover and bring them to a boil over high heat. Reduce the carrots to medium-low and simmer until the carrots are crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes. Drain and set the carrots aside.
2. Dry the skillet and return it to the stove. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and melt it over medium-high heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, about 1 minute.
3. Add the carrots with the remaining tablespoon butter and rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are well combined and the carrots are hot. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Shaved Fennel Salad with Beets & Raspberries
Tossed with a raspberry-honey vinaigrette, this showpiece salad boasts beautiful color.
Ingredients:
1 bunch beets, cleaned and trimmed
4 cups water
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly shaved crosswise, fronds reserved
¼ cup Grana cheese, grated
4 cups loosely-packed salad greens, washed and patted dry with a paper towel
½ cup raspberries
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
For the vinaigrette:
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup raspberry wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1-2 teaspoons honey
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place beets in a large roasting pan and pour over water, red wine vinegar, sugar and 1 tablespoon salt. Cover with parchment and foil. Roast until just tender, they should be easily pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes. Peel beets under cool water. Cut into quarters.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the roasted beets, fennel, fennel fronds, and greens with about ½ cup of the raspberry-honey dressing. Plate dressed greens. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary, sprinkle with the Grana cheese and raspberries and serve.