Cumin-coriander honey roasted carrots with yogurt-tahini sauce spiked with garlic. Middle Eastern flavors spice up carrots beautifully. Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi, Plenty More

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“Red” carrots, well I’d say they’re really a deep burnt orange and incredibly fragrant—from NYC’s Union Square Greenmarket
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More than any other season, summer, and especially a hot one like this year’s been so far, have me craving the earthy flavors and contrasting freshness of Middle Eastern inspired foods. There’s the flavors of warming spices, the various grain, bean and fresh vegetable salads, abundant use of fresh herbs, creamy yogurt and cooling sauces. And Middle Eastern cuisines inspire so many creative ways to use summers’ incredible variety of fruits and vegetables, (great when you’re lucky enough to have access to fantastic produce like we have from NYC’s greenmarkets) and this recipe adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty More is one great example.

Carrots become pretty irresistible when spicily roasted and paired with a slightly garlicky, creamy yogurt-tahini sauce—so good, that figure you’ll need almost a bunch of raw carrots per person. I’ve made this several times this summer and found I preferred using mostly orange and red varieties of carrots to get the best looking results. Also, this would be a pretty dish to add to your table for any gathering. x

Recipe follows 

Cumin-Coriander Honey Roasted Carrots with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce
Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi, Plenty More

3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed with the back of your knife
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed with the back of your knife, (if you’re unable to find whole seeds use about 1 teaspoon of ground coriander)
Thyme leaves from about 2-3 fresh sprigs
3 lbs carrots, (about 3 bunches) peeled, cut on a diagonal into about 3 inch batons
cilantro leaves, about a fist full, whole leaves or coarsely chopped

Method
Preheat oven to 425°

In a large bowl whisk together the honey, olive oil, toasted seeds, (and ground coriander, if substituting for coriander seeds) and thyme leaves. Add the cut and trimmed carrots and coat evenly mixing well using your hands if necessary. Transfer carrots to a parchment lined baking sheet and spread in an even layer.

Roast carrots just until fork tender, turning two or three times, about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, scatter plenty of fresh cilantro over the carrots and serve with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce, see recipe below.

Yogurt-Tahini Sauce
Prepare the sauce while carrots are roasting

2/3 cup plain whole-milk Greek, or regular yogurt (which will give you a thinner sauce)
3 tablespoons good quality tahini
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed and minced to a paste using the back of your knife
Sea Salt to taste

Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Serve with carrots, either drizzled over them, or smear a dollop on individual plates and arrange carrots on top.

Enjoy! x