Roasted Carrot Salad with Spices and Citrus Vinaigrette

Shared by the Pantry Seattle

Recipe adapted from Michelle Nguyen

Yield: about 28 mini muffins

Ingredients

For the carrots:

1 1/2 pounds medium carrots, sliced into spears (quarter lengthwise and cut into 3” long pieces)

2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds

2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

1 small dried chili de arbol

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 clove garlic, pressed

High-heat oil, to coat the carrots

1 orange, halved

1 lemon, halved

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the vinaigrette:

Olive oil, to taste

Red wine vinegar, to taste

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To assemble the salad:

2 cups mixed greens or arugula

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup almonds, toasted and rough chopped

instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the carrots, top off any green parts, and slice them into rough 3” x 1” pieces.

Toast the whole cumin, coriander, and arbol chiles on a dry skillet until fragrant. Remove the tops off of the arbol chiles. Grind in a spice grinder, then mix in the dried thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Toss the sliced carrot with a generous glug of high-heat oil and a splash of white wine vinegar, then toss with the spice mixture and pressed garlic. Mix well to coat the carrots with the oil/vinegar/spice as a paste. Stir together, then pour the carrots onto a large sheet pan, making sure they’re well coated. Use a spatula to scrape any remaining spice mixture out of the bowl and onto the carrots. Top the carrots with the halved oranges and lemons, cut side down. (These will roast along with the carrots, and their juice can be used as the basis of the dressing.) Place in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.

Remove the carrots from the oven and set aside. Remove the lemons and oranges and set them on a cooling rack to cool quickly. Using a citrus reamer or fork, squeeze the roasted citrus juice into a large bowl and add about equal parts olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar. Season the dressing, then toss the roasted carrots into the bowl with the dressing. Mix together, taste for flavor, and adjust flavors as needed.

Toss in the hearty greens, and transfer to a big platter. Spoon over a nice dollop of yogurt, sprinkle with the toasted seeds, and drizzle a little extra olive oil, as always!