ROASTED CARROTS

photography Blue Caleel  

Maili's instagram picture while we were in 

the middle of cooking.

My friend Tracey sent me a text saying she had just eaten a wonderful roasted carrot salad and could I please try to make a recipe for one.  (Honestly half of the recipes I've created over my life have come from college roommates, clients, friends or family asking them to make something they saw or ate before.  It's the best inspiration for me!)

I immediately thought, oh good this will be perfect for Hollye vegan/vegetarian recipe part of her Silver Pen blog.  (I'm such an omnivore that it has been a challenge to come up with weekly recipes for Hollye that are gluten-free, vegan and delicious.)  So I was recipe testing like usual with Hollye and Blue and my intention was to make a roasted carrot salad but when we just roasted the carrots they were so unbelievably delicious that we had to stop there.  Eventually we will make the salad but the carrots alone are so great that I've already made them four times for friends and parties since we made the recipe up.  I'm making them again tonight for a cooking class.  I personally crave them and could eat the whole recipe by myself.  They will be perfect for Thanksgiving as a side dish as well.

You can peel the carrots a day in advance and keep them in water in a bowl, bag or airtight container.  Cut them in half before you toss them in the oil and roast them.

Here is the simple and delicious recipe:

OVEN ROASTED CARROTS

3 bunches of carrots with green tops
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil (or grapeseed oil)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
zest of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Will the carrots are still in a bunch cut the green tops off the carrots leaving just a bit of the green on each carrot (for looks!)

Peel the carrots and cut them in half.

Add fennel seeds, olive oil, kosher salt, orange zest and toss well.

Spread them in a single layer on a 1/2 sheet pan (also known as a cookie sheet)

Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or longer until golden brown.