Recipe: Roasted carrots and shallots with Chermoula sauce balances sweet and spicy
Sweet with a rich caramel-like goodness — that’s the flavor personality of butter-coated carrots when high-heat roasted. I prefer to use medium-large to large carrots, ones that are 1- to 1 1/2-inches in diameter at their thickest part. Cut in half lengthwise, the larger beauties yield more surface area on the sheet pan, more area on the cut-side to brown to perfection. Yes, small carrots can used and left whole.
Chermoula sauce adds a just-right spicy balance to the honeyed carrots. The recipe from America’s Test Kitchen calls for 1 serrano chili; I prefer to use half of a jalapeno to make the sauce perky but less fiery. Make it to suit your taste. The sauce, widely used in Algerian, Libyan, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking, is delicious atop chicken or seafood, as well as these beautiful carrots.
Roasted Carrots and Shallots with Chermoula
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds medium-large carrots, halved lengthwise
4 large shallots, peeled, halved through root end
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped Marcona almonds or roasted almonds
Chermoula: 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 4 garlic cloves (minced), 1 serrano chili (seeded, minced, see cook’s notes), 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Cook’s notes: If you prefer a little less spicy heat substitute 1/2 jalapeno chili for the much hotter serrano chili. If carrots are large, you may find it easier to cut them in half crosswise before cutting them in half lengthwise.
PROCEDURE
1. Carrots: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss carrots, shallots, melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon butter and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper in large bowl to coat. Spread out evenly on rimmed baking sheet cut-side down. Roast until tender and cut sides are browned, 15 to 25 minutes.
2. Chermoula: Process cilantro, juice, garlic, chili, cumin, salt and cayenne in food processor until finely chopped, scrapping down sides of bowl as needed. With processor running, add oil in thin stream.
3. Place carrots on platter. Drizzle with Chermoula and sprinkle with nuts. Serve.
Source: adapted from “Vegetables Illustrated” by America’s Test Kitchen ($40)
Source : ocregister.com
