Roasted Baby Carrots with Pomegranate and Hummus
I don't know about you, but I have a real thing for baby Dutch carrots.
They're tiny, cute, a little sweet and there something about the fact they are always sold with their tops still intact that makes me feel happy about having them in my hot little hands.
Finding them in a range of colours is even more exciting for a foodie like me, so you can imagine my excitement in finding not only the generic orange variety, but also purple and yellow version. Jackpot!
This recipe is a simple but beautiful one that I know you'll all fall in love with. Add as much, or as little, hummus to the serving plate as you like and enjoy the fresh pop of pomegranate jewels in your mouth alongside the middle eastern spice and pomegranate molasses combo dancing over your tastebuds.
I'd recommend serving this perfect side with a slow roasted lamb shoulder, but it would work equally as well with a succulent roasted chicken or as a vegetarian main.
Get out there and find some baby carrots to make this dish soon. You'll end up in love with them as much as me!
Serves 6-8 as a side dish
INGREDIENTS
3-4 bunches of baby dutch carrots, mixed colours if available
Pomegranate molasses
Maple syrup
Olive oil
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Fresh pomegranate jewels, approximately half a pomegranate
1 tub of good quality hummus, store bought
Ground salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and line a baking dish or tray with baking paper.
2. Wash but do not peel the carrots. After washing, remove the green leafy top but leaving 1-2cm of greenery at the top of each carrot. Dry carrots roughly in a tea towel and place into the baking dish.
3. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the carrots. Sprinkle the ground coriander and ground cinnamon on top and toss to coat the carrots in the marinade.
4. Place the carrots into the oven and roast, tossing once or twice to keep moist and well coated, for 20-30mins or until the lighter coloured carrots are beginning to turn golden.
5. Serve the carrots by first smearing a generous amount of hummus over a large serving platter. Toss the carrots in the baking dish to coat in the roasting marinade one last time, adding a dash more pomegranate molasses if necessary. Lay the carrots over the hummus on the platter. Sprinkle the pomegranate jewels on top, season as desired and serve.
WINE SUGGESTION
This dish is the perfect side to a roast lamb or general BBQ. Enjoy it with a fresh fragrant rose or a smooth pinot noir.
If you're choosing to serve this dish as a vegetarian main course, you could play with a white wine pairing such as a new world chardonnay, a chablis or go to town with a gewurztraminer to balance the middle eastern flavours.
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