Roasted Carrots with Harissa Labneh and Hazelnut Dukkah

This is a recipe that took me a little outside my comfort zone.  Middle Eastern flavors are definitely new to my palette; adjusting to the spices used and brand-new ingredients I’ve never heard of or tasted before has been an exciting, if not a little scary, adventure.  Let’s do this together!

I’ve never been a fan of cooked carrots.  Give me raw carrots all day with some veggie dip or to add to noodle bowls for some crunch, but leave the cooked carrots for someone who doesn’t care about what food tastes like.  I think I’ve had one too many mushy, flavorless experiences with boiled baby carrots to truly understand what a cooked carrot could really be.  The this recipe for example: we are going to roast them until the sugars begin to caramelize, but the carrots still retain some texture and snap.  I used the beautiful multi-colored carrots that sometimes show up in the stores or farmers’ markets, but you can definitely use all orange carrots if that’s what you can find.

Serve these beautiful sweet babies over a bed of cool and spicy harissa labneh, which is the perfect foil for the sweet carrots.  Remember that we’ve made both homemade harissa and labneh here before?  Perfect time to whip up those recipes in your own kitchen!

And dukkah is the condiment you never knew you needed.  It’s a toasted nut, seed and spice mixture that is perfect as an earthy and crunchy complement to just about anything.  This version has toasted hazelnuts, sesame seed, and cumin and coriander seeds.  You can change up any of the ingredients for new combinations-use a different kind of nut, add other seeds and spices…the options are endless.  Sprinkle on anything that needs some crunch or texture, coat fish or chicken in it, or mix it into vegetable sides or salads.  Experiment with it!

I think I’m starting to change my mind on cooked carrots.  Before this, I even made a to-die-for carrot tart that did some serious damage to my carrot-hating psyche.  I dream of living in a world where mushy boiled or steamed carrots have no place on our tables.

Roasted Carrots with Harissa Labneh and Hazelnut Dukkah

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• Author: Amanda
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

Sweet roasted carrots on a bed of cool and spicy harissa labneh and topped with crunchy hazelnut dukkah!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1–1/2 pounds (about 12 carrots), tops trimmed and scrubbed clean
• Olive oil, as needed
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

HAZELNUT DUKKAH:

• 3 tablespoons whole skin-on hazelnuts
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, black, white or a mix
• 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

HARISSA LABNEH:

• 3/4 cup labneh
• 2 to 3 tablespoons harissa, to taste (you can use store-bought if you like)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.  
2. To make the hazelnut dukkah: In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the hazelnuts until lightly golden and fragrant, shaking the pan occasionally, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to the bowl of a mortar and pestle.  Repeat the process with the sesame seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds.  Transfer to a small bowl and let cool completely.  Once cooled, process the nuts until coarsely chopped.  Add the seeds and continue to process until cracked and coarsely textured.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the carrots in a single layer on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and the honey, tossing to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and starting to brown.
4. While the carrots cook, combine the ingredients for the harissa labneh.  When ready to serve, spread the labneh on a serving platter and arrange the carrots on top. Sprinkle the labneh over the carrots. Serve warm.

Notes

Inspiration: Roasted Carrots with Harissa Aïoli and Dukkah from Seven Spoons by Tara O’Brady

• Category: Vegetable Sides, Middle Eastern-Inspired