Image by Oliver Parini
Cumin-Roasted Tri-Colored Carrots with Chèvre
Excerpted from The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook, 10th Anniversary Edition by Tracey Medeiros
Recipe by Tracey Medeiros
Serves 4
If you ask most people what color a carrot is, the immediate response is usually “orange.” However, the very first carrots, which were grown over 1,000 years ago, were actually purple, red, and yellow. Today these many-colored carrots have made a comeback. They vary slightly in sweetness and crispness from standard orange carrots, but they can be prepared the same way. If you are unable to find rainbow carrots, your typical carrot will also work well for this dish.
12 medium to large rainbow carrots of assorted colors, scrubbed, thick ends halved lengthwise, and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Vermont apple cider
1 1⁄2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (1⁄3 cup)
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.
2. Place the carrots in a large bowl, add the olive oil, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper and toss until evenly coated.
3. Place the carrots in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle any remaining oil and seasonings in the bowl over the carrots. Roast, tossing occasion- ally, until tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the carrots with cider and toss to coat. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, if desired. Transfer the carrots to a platter and scatter the goat cheese and cilantro over the top. Serve.
Note: It is important to keep the carrot pieces a similar size so they finish cooking at the same time. This means that some ends may need to be quartered if necessary.