Gluten-free · Nut-free · Soy-free

 

This plate is inspired by the gorgeous different colors and textures of carrots. I find it fascinating how much a single ingredient can change depending on how you cook it, and carrots are one of those vegetables that you can cook in many different ways. The flavor of a carrot changes radically when a carrot is steamed as opposed to when it’s roasted or when raw! So I decided to make a dish that uses carrots in different ways and in different colors to create a cohesive package of flavor. I’ll show you how you can use the same ingredient to create different shades, textures, and flavors.

It’s a beautiful dish full of texture and balance in every bite. There’s creaminess from the purée, spiced roasted carrot, fragrant fennel seed, sweetness from the blood orange, freshness from the mint, fattiness from the coconut, and the perfect amount of acidity from the vinaigrette that brings it all together.

Plus, this recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free!

Fun facts about colorful carrots

• Golden carrots are used to make baby food because they’re low in carotenoids (what make orange carrots orange) and therefore less likely to turn babies orange.

• About 10,000 years ago there were only white and golden carrots. The other variations were produced later on as cultivation became more widespread.

• The first cultivation of carrots happened in Afghanistan about 10000 years ago.

Substitutions

If you couldn’t find different colored carrots, you can still cook the whole dish using only one color of carrot.

Equipment

For this recipe, you’ll need:

• Blender or immersion blender

• 1 mandoline or sharp knife 

• Cutting board

• 1 medium sheet tray + parchment paper 

• Vegetable peeler

• 1 steamer

• 1 small pot to boil the carrots

Uses

You can use the carrot purée as a side, a base for other purées, or a sauce (add vegetable broth to thin it out).

You can use the crisp carrots for salads or as a side dish.

You can use the roasted carrots as a side dish, a main course, or even for canapés.

 

 

Watch the recipe video here:

 

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Crisp Orange Carrots

1.5 liters ice water, for ice bath

160g (about 4) orange carrots, peeled

Roasted Purple Carrots

280 g (about 4 medium) purple carrots, peeled 

Kosher salt, to bake

1g ground fennel seeds

Golden Carrot Purée

  300g (about 8) golden carrots, peeled and diced large

  20g garlic cloves, whole

 50ml virgin olive oil or avocado oil

Sea salt, to taste 

Lemon juice, to taste

Blood Orange Vinaigrette

2 medium blood oranges

46ml  extra-virgin olive oil 

50ml freshly-squeezed lemon juice

 Sea salt, to taste 

Toppings

 20g toasted coconut flakes

 10- 15 fresh mint leaves 

Method

Crisp orange carrots

1. Have your ice-water ready in a large bowl. Slice the orange carrots using a mandolin or a sharp knife and place them in the ice bath. Let chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or place them in the freezer for _, just remember to stir them from time to time.

Roasted purple carrots

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and make a bed of salt with the kosher salt, just enough to lay the carrots on top.

2. On a plate, season the purple carrots with olive oil and cover with ground fennel. Place carrots on top of the bed of salt and cook for 60 minutes at 350ºF or until soft (the cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the carrots). To cook them faster, cover them with aluminum foil before putting into the oven.

Golden carrot purée

1. Place golden carrots and garlic in the steamer on medium-low flame and cook for 25 minutes, or until soft. Use a cake tester or the tip of a knife to check if they are cooked (it should go straight through).

2. Place golden carrots, garlic and olive oil in the blender add 2 tbsp of the steaming water. Blend until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the blender and blend again to incorporate. Season with salt and lemon juice to taste.

Blood orange vinaigrette

1. Zest the blood oranges and cut into supremes. Use your hands to squeeze the remaining pulp to collect all the juice you can into a separate bowl.

2. Add blood orange zest, lemon juice and salt to the bowl and whisk until the salt has dissolved, then add the oil and whisk until emulsified (about 30 seconds).

Plating

1. Remove the crisp orange carrots form the ice water and place on top of a towel to drain. Spread some of the golden carrot purée on the bottom of the plate, cut the roasted carrots in half lengthwise (or leave whole) and place on top. Place the dried crisp carrots on top and season everything with the vinaigrette. Top with toasted coconut, blood orange segments, and mint leaves.