Recipe: Burnt Carrots
This Week’s Conversation Starter: Discuss the importance of belonging in your own lives, and give examples of how you can help others, who may seem left out, to feel included.
Recipe:
Serves 4
Roasting at a very high heat, these carrots become soft on the inside and crunchyon the exterior, bringing out their natural sweetness. Carrots can be found at markets year-round, but as spring approaches you’ll see more beautiful heirloom varieties: purple, black, red, white, and yellow—each with subtle avor nuances. Chervil is a delicate spring herb in the parsley family with a faint anise taste. If you cannot find chervil, it can be replaced with parsley leaves.
- 2 1⁄2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1⁄2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1⁄4 teaspoon Cyprus flake salt, plus more for garnish
- 6 bunches baby carrots (about 30 small), scrubbed
- 1⁄2 cup (25 g) fresh chervil leaves
- 2 or 3 balls of Marinated Labneh* (see recipe below)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon nigella seeds
- 1⁄4 cup hazelnuts, halved and toasted
Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together the olive oil, maple syrup, and salt. Add the carrots and toss to coat. Spread the carrots in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, top with half of the chervil, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, watching to ensure that the carrots char but do not burn too much.
Spread the labneh on a platter using the back of a spoon. Rest the carrots atop the labneh and top with the hazelnuts, remaining chervil, and nigella seeds. Season with flaky salt and serve.
*Marinated Labneh:
Makes 14 or 15 (1-oz balls)
This marinated yogurt is a constant in our refrgerator. Labneh is a Lebanese form of strained yogurt, and here we preserve it in olive oil and herbs. The tangy, creamy yogurt can be spread on toast or served under roasted vegetables and in a salad. It can be served with warm pita along with other mezze. Traditionally, it is often included in Middle Eastern breakfasts. It also pairs well with spices like red pepper flakes, sumac and za’atar.
- 1 32-ounce container full-fat plan Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs oregano
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cups extra-virgin olive oil
In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt and salt. Lay out two layers of cheesecloth on a work surface and spoon the yogurt into the middle. Gather up the edges of the cheesecloth to enclose the yogurt and tie with a string. Tie the string to a wooden spoon and rest the spoon on top of a large bowl, so that the ball is suspended over the bowl. Place in the refrigerator to drain for 3 days.
Unwrap the ball and discard the cheesecloth. Roll the yogurt into 2-tablespoon balls, about the size of golf balls, and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 3 hours, uncovered, to dry.
Remove the balls from the refrigerator and transfer to a large glass jar. Add the herbs and garlic, and cover with the olive oil. Seal the jar and marinate the labneh in the refrigerator for 24 hours before using.
Storage — Refrigerate the labneh in its marinating oil for up to 3 weeks.
Karen Mordechai/Sunday Suppers is a community-based food and design brand located in New York City and Los Angeles. Through the art of gathering and community, Sunday Suppers has created a space where design, tradition and food converge.The concept centers on simplicity and a love of food. Through shared meals and the act of cooking communally we celebrate the traditions of food and gathering. Click here to purchase “Simple Fare: Fall and Winter.”
