Heirloom Carrots with Chermoula (Carottes à la Chermoula)
You'll love this lively, blend of heirloom carrots and chermoula sauce from North Africa. It's both vegan and gluten-free. This is a zesty, tantalizing, and healthy dish that you and your guests will love. Plus, both the sauce and the carrots are infinitely customizable for whichever way you'd like to serve this dish!
Ingredients
For the chermoula sauce:
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads, about 10-15 threads
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- 4-6 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup (50 g) fresh cilantro leaves and smaller stems, roughly chopped
- 1 cup (50 g) fresh parsley leaves and smaller stems, roughly chopped
For the heirloom carrots:
- 2 pounds (900 g) heirloom carrots
Instructions
Make the chermoula sauce:
- Soak the saffron: Place the saffron threads in a small dish. Add 2 tablespoons of warm water and allow to soak while preparing the sauce.
- Toast the spices: In a small skillet over low heat, toast the caraway and cumin seeds for about 1-3 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly while assembling the remaining ingredients.
- Blend the sauce: Using a food processor or blender, combine the soaked saffron and water, toasted caraway and cumin seeds, lemon juice, harissa, black pepper, granulated sugar, sea salt, garlic, paprika, coriander, olive oil, cilantro, and parsley. Blend until the sauce reaches your desired texture, from chunky to smooth. If too thick, thin it with a small amount of water or olive oil.
Peel the carrot ribbons:
- Use a y-peeler to peel the carrots into wide, thin ribbons.
Toss the carrots with the chermoula:
- In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the carrot ribbons with the prepared chermoula sauce until the ribbons are evenly coated.
Serve:
- Serve immediately as a refreshing raw side dish or chilled for a cold salad. Garnish with extra fresh parsley or cilantro if desired.
Notes
Carrot cooking variations:
- Sautéed Carrots: Sauté carrot ribbons or coins over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until al dente.
- Boiling: Boil carrot ribbons, coins, or chunks for 2-3 minutes, or until desired texture, then immediately transfer to ice water to stop cooking.
- Roasting: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly coat carrots in olive oil and roast for 10-15 minutes until softened and browned.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!