Honey-Roasted Carrots With Tahini Yogurt

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Over the course of his career, chef Yotam Ottolenghi has positioned himself as a champion of vegetables. The Israel native is now based in London, England, where he helms three canteen-style restaurants (all called Ottolenghi) and one fine dining establishment, Nopi. This recipe comes from Plenty More, the vibrant vegetarian cookbook he published this October.

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Photo credit: Jonathan Lovekin, © 2014

Honey-Roasted Carrots With Tahini Yogurt
Serves 4

The inspiration for this was Sarah’s grandmother (“nan”) Dulcie in Tasmania, who always used to add some honey to the pan before roasting her carrots. [Editor’s note: Sarah works in Ottolenghi’s test kitchen.] I’m not sure what Dulcie would have thought about a tahini yogurt sauce served alongside, but the sweetness of the carrots certainly welcomes it.

Scant 3 Tbsp./60 g honey
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
1½ tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
3 thyme sprigs
12 large carrots, peeled and each cut crosswise into two 2½-inch/6-cm batons (3 lb/1.3 kg)
1½ Tbsp. cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
Salt and black pepper

Tahini yogurt sauce

Scant 3 Tbsp./40 g tahini paste
2/3 cup/130 g Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed salt

Preheat the oven to 425ºF/220ºC.

Place all the ingredients for the tahini sauce in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Whisk together and set aside.

Place the honey, oil, coriander and cumin seeds, and thyme in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon salt and a good grind  of black pepper. Add the carrots and mix well until coated, then spread them out on a large baking sheet and roast in the oven for 40 minutes, stirring gently once or twice, until cooked through and glazed.

Transfer the carrots to a large serving platter or individual plates. Serve warm or at room temperature, with  a spoonful of sauce on top, scattered with the cilantro.

Reprinted with permission from Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London’s Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi, copyright © 2014. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House LLC.

Need another Yotam Ottolenghi fix? Take your pick:
A Chat With Yotam Ottolenghi, the New King of Vegetables
Make a Beautiful Meal (With Messy Plating)
Dear Garlic and Onions: Mellow Out