Page 11 - Gears and Ears May 2013

Recipe of the Month

Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad with Citrus Dressing

TOTAL TIME: 50 MIN SERVINGS: 6 VEGETARIAN

Ingredients:

1 pound medium carrots
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 chile de árbol or other small red chile
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 orange, halved and 1 lemon, halved
Four 1/2-inch-thick slices of ciabatta bread
3 Hass avocados, pitted, peeled and cut into 6 wedges each
8 ounces assorted greens, such as watercress, spinach or mesclun
2 cups baby arugula
2 tablespoons unsalted roasted sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

This Moroccan-spiced salad combines vitamin A–rich carrots and heart-healthy avocados. Jamie Oliver’s
favorite method for preparing carrots (as well as beets) is to first parboil them, then toss them with a dressing
and roast them to intensify their sweetness.

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Bring a deep skillet of salted water to a boil. Add the carrots and simmer,
covered, over moderately low heat until crisp-tender, 10 minutes. Drain and transfer the carrots to a large
roasting pan.

2. In a mortar, crush the cumin seeds, chile de árbol, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Add
the garlic and thyme and pound into a paste. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil and 2 tablespoons of the
vinegar.

3. Pour the cumin dressing over the carrots and toss. Add the orange and lemon halves to the roasting pan,
cut side down. Roast for about 25 minutes, until the carrots are tender.

4. Meanwhile, toast the ciabatta until the edges are golden brown. Tear the bread into bite-size pieces and,
in a large bowl, gently toss with the avocados, greens and arugula. In a small bowl, combine the sunflower,
sesame and poppy seeds.

5. Using tongs, squeeze the hot orange and lemon halves into a measuring cup until you have about 1/3 cup
of juice. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and 1/3 cup of olive oil and season with
salt and pepper. Add the warm carrots to the bowl along with the citrus dressing and toss to coat. Transfer
the salad to plates and drizzle with the sour cream. Sprinkle the salad with the seed mixture and serve.