Harissa Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top-Pine Nut Gremolata
These carrots were thought up out of the idea for a recipe that achieved utilizing the entire vegetable. I love everything about this recipe from the hot honey ricotta to the harissa roasted rainbow carrots to the carrot top gremolata topping. This recipe is a “no recipe recipe” because I measure everything with my heart. Also, the gremolata topping will change according to how many carrots you use! You can’t possibly eat just one bite! So let’s get cookin’!
INGREDIENTS
Small-ish bunch of rainbow carrots with tops still on!*
2 tbsp good olive oil
2 tsp herby harissa (can do spicy harissa if you wish!)
8 oz (roughly half a container) ricotta, can use part-skim if preferred**
2 tsp hot honey, I use Mike’s hot honey
2 tsp vinegar, I love using Kosterina vinegars for this recipe but you can play around with different types!
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Roughly 1/4 cup carrot tops, minced
Roughly 2-3 tbsp toasted pine nuts, chopped
Few tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, minced
*Try to get a variety of sizes and colors for more visual whimsy!
**I love using the Polly-O brand for richness!
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Thoroughly wash and scrub carrots and cut off tops, leaving a few inches still attached to the carrot for presentation at the end.
Place carrots on a prepared parchment-lined baking sheet lined with a baking rack on top so the heat can cook the carrots evenly while in the oven. Drizzle olive oil on the carrots and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and harissa until evenly coated. Bake in oven for about 15-22 minutes, depending on the sizes of your carrots. Halfway through the cooking process, rotate the carrots on the rack and then return to oven to continue cooking. How crispy you prefer the carrots is entirely up to you; I like mine baked for a while until they have a slight char on them.
While the carrots are baking, blend the ricotta, hot honey, vinegar of choice, salt and pepper in a food processor and blitz together until well combined. The end result should be creamy and smooth. Chop, mince, and toss the carrot tops, parsley, and pine nuts together.
Take the carrots out of the oven. Spread ricotta mixture on a serving platter and arrange the carrots atop the ricotta bed. Top with carrot top gremolata and serve immediately. Enjoy!
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https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0b9SCPr4Fq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
