A Bunch of Carrots, by Kay Smith.
Recipes below: My Ras el Hanout; Carrots Roasted with Ras el Hanout and Summer Savory, Served with Crème Fraîche.
Growing up I didn’t have much contact with carrots. I’m trying to think if we ever even had them as a side dish when I was a kid. I don’t think so. They were for soffritto, little bits of orange that would float around in a ragù. My mother did put them out raw, along with celery and black olives, at cocktail parties, with blue cheese dip. I liked the dip.
What is the taste of a carrot? It’s elusive. If I think too much about it I start to doubt my taste buds. Winter ones seem soapy. Early summer market carrots aren’t soapy. They’re sweeter, but, I don’t know, they just need something. Cooking helps, but even then, unless they come out somewhat spiced or candied, I’m not all that interested. Roasting is a very good way to concentrate their flavor, as are sweet and hot spices, too, or honey, salt, or, as I’ve just discovered, summer savory.
My summer savory.
This is the first year I’ve grown that herb. The plant is already full and bushy. It tastes to me like a cross between thyme and oregano, so I’d give it a try anywhere I’d use those herbs, but it releases more strength than either of them, and it’s a little bitter, maybe closer in taste to a wild herb.
My Ras el Hanout
Toast cumin and coriander seeds, about a teaspoon of each. Then grind them together in a mortar and pestle, along with a small piece of Ceylon cinnamon stick. Add ground turmeric, sweet paprika, salt, dried ginger, and black pepper, about ½ teaspoon of each. Mix everything well. I like to leave the mix a little gritty, not too powdered. Close it up in a little jar. It will keep fragrant for about 2 months, providing you start out with fresh spices. I find it best to make in small batches, but feel free to double or triple this recipe if you think you’ll be using it up fast enough.
My carrots, before roasting.
Carrots Roasted with Ras el Hanout and Summer Savory, Served with Crème Fraîche
(Serves 4)
2 bunches of thin summer carrots (multicolor will look especially pretty), scrubbed clean, leaving about ½ inch of their green stems (if your carrots are thick, as mine were, try cutting them lengthwise; see the photo above)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Aleppo pepper
1 teaspoon Ras el Hanout (see my recipe above or use a good store-bought brand)
1 scallion, cut into thin rounds, using some of the tender green part
1 tablespoon runny honey
A sprinkle of rice wine vinegar
10 large sprigs of summer savory, stemmed (if you don’t have it, use fresh thyme instead)
½ cup crème fraîche
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Lay the carrots out on a sheet pan. Drizzle them with olive oil, and toss them well. They should be nice and coated. Sprinkle with salt and a little Aleppo, and toss again. Stick them in the oven, and roast them for about 5 minutes. Pull them out, and give them a gentle toss. Sprinkle on the ras el hanout, the scallion, and drizzle with honey. Toss to blend it all. Put the carrots back in the oven, and roast them until they’re golden, tender, and fragrant, about another 10 minutes, depending on how thick they are. Pull them from the oven, sprinkle on the rice vinegar (just a little sprinkle), and then scatter on the summer savory.
Pile the carrots up on a good looking platter. Give each serving a dollop of crème fraîche.