Roasted Carrots with Dill

Roasted Carrots with Dill

Adapted from Tori Avey (The Shiksa in the Kitchen) by Blue Heron Kitchen

Root vegetables - sweet and low down. While you can, buy them at your local farm stand or farmers market. Buy them loose wherever possible. Selecting your own carrots is empowering. (Those orange bags are upsetting.) Buy organic carrots. Carrots are a perfect vegetable.

What I like about this recipe is how the fresh, green-dill-burst lifts the sweet earthiness of roasted carrots. They’re a great addition to a roasted vegetable platter and are perfect accompaniment to fish or fowl. They’ll be gorgeous next to beef ; and I love them with frittatas! 

Why not audition them now as a new addition to your Thanksgiving feast. The color contrast is stunning. They’re light and not as rich as most Thanksgiving sides. For a delicious variation and stunning presentation roast both carrots and parsnips. 

with a smile and song,

jane

Roasted Carrots with Dill

Ingredients:

2 lb. whole carrots (I prefer young medium-sized carrots with greens still attached)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbsp. freshly chopped dill
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste

Fleur de sel for finishing (optional)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 400º F. Clean and remove the tops from the carrots (scrub them well or peel them, your preference.)

Place the carrots on a greased sheet tray and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss with your hands, making sure they’re evenly coated with oil. Lightly salt and pepper.

Roast carrots for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and turn the carrots with tongs and sprinkle with 1- 1½ Tbsp. freshly chopped dill, then return to the oven and roast for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven, place carrots on a platter. Sprinkle with remaining fresh dill.

Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Or sprinkle with optional fleur de sel (my preference!)

Serve immediately, or serve at room temperature.

Serves approximately 6

Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Almonds

Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Almonds

Adapted from American Masala by Suvir Saran

Brussels sprouts and apples, both, are abundant at the market now. This is an easy and festive recipe that comes from my friend, Suvir’s cookbook, American Masala. 

These Brussels sprouts will be a hit at your Thanksgiving dinner! Not only that, you’ll make this whenever Brussels sprouts are in season.  My friend, Regina told me she’ll never cook b.s.'s any other way.

peace, love and may you be at ease in and out of the kitchen,
xojane

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and outer leaves removed

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

3 Granny Smith or other tart apples, cored and thinly sliced

1 cup sliced almonds

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground black peppercorns

4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 small red onions, thinly sliced

1/3 cup raisins or currants [Use organic raisins, it makes a difference – they taste like raisins]

½ tsp. red pepper flakes [reduce or omit if you can't take the heat]

½ cup (4 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Procedure:

Set one oven rack to the center position and one to the upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 350º.

With a paring knife, cut an “x” in the bottom of each Brussels sprout and place all in a large bowl. 

Add the vinegar, apples, almonds, salt, ground peppercorns, oil, onions, raisins, and pepper flakes. 

Toss together and transfer to a gratin or baking dish.  Dot the top with half the butter.

Bake on lower rack for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle the remaining butter over the top and bake for another 30 minutes. 

Turn on the broiler.  Place the baking dish on the upper-middle rack and broil for 2 minutes, or until the top of the casserole is browned.  Watch this carefully, because unattended, you'll risk losing the casserole to the flame.

Serves 8