The recipe that inspired todays post originally appeared on Bon Appetit’s site a few years ago, courtesy of one Mr. Bobby Flay. The photo that accompanied it was enticing enough to put it on the “must try” list. (Seriously, check it out.) Of course, as sometimes happens, you go to make something and there is streamlining to be done, some ingredients are impossible to find, and other ingredients pout seductively at you from the produce section…it happens. In the end, that recipe you fell in love with morphs into something only vaguely resembling the original, yet somehow it’s even better and more user-friendly. The Bon Appetit recipe for “Spice-Crusted Carrots with Harissa Yogurt” went from being a distinctly Mediterranean affair to being a broader, more international offering. In fact, the only ingredients that survived from the original recipe were the Greek yogurt and the carrots.
As lovely as the carrots looked on their own, the golden beets at the market were just too gorgeous to pass up. Aside from complementing the color of the carrots so perfectly, they imparted the dish with a more subtle, earthy flavor than their more familiar garnet counterparts.
Also, despite the increasing popularity of harissa, it was impossible to find at the regular supermarket. What to do? Enter sambal oelek. This is actually the recipe that kicked off the recent spate of posts featuring this Southeast Asian chili sauce–the Fish Sauce Vinaigrette for the Brussels Sprouts, and the Spicy Tomato Oil for just about everything else–and it was the perfect substitute for the North African chili paste.
Instead of the homemade spice blend of cumin, smoked paprika, mustard powder and either coriander or fennel seeds (which sounds delicious, btw), it felt more efficient to go with za’atar, which is a favorite middle eastern staple around here. (For proof, just check out our Roasted Beet Pureé, Za’atar Spiced Bloody Marys, and our Lamb Chops with Green Tahini Sauce—a.k.a. Exhibits A, B and C, respectively.)
Other ingredient swaps included brown sugar in place of the white sugar, lime zest and juice instead of lemon, and a chiffonade of fresh mint for garnish instead of thyme. Once all of the substitutions were made and the ingredients were assembled and ready to go, there was the issue of the labor-intensive process of par boiling the vegetables, removing the skins, then pan-roasting them. Yikes.
A more efficient option was to scrub the carrots, trim the tops, peel and quarter the beets, toss it all in the oil, brown sugar and za’atar, then roast everything in the oven. Much simpler, and the vegetables came out beautifully caramelized and perfectly tender. Since everything was done directly on the baking sheet, it basically eliminated the need for a mixing bowl and its cleanup, which is always a huge plus.
When it came to the spicy yogurt accompaniment, there was some concern that the sambal would possess a more intense heat than the harissa. Erring on the safe side, a teaspoon was used instead of the full tablespoon actually required for the recipe. The resulting “spicy” yogurt was practically flavorless. Boo. After humble apologies to Mr. Flay and Bon Appetit for ever doubting either of them, the full amount of sambal was stirred in and the lime was added.
The finished product possessed just the right amount of heat and brightness to perfectly complement the caramelized sweetness of the vegetables. The fresh mint garnish added a clean herbal note to round out the flavors and a lovely little color contrast.
This is a wonderful vegetarian side, but can also be served as a refreshing first course, giving you a creative and appealing alternative to salad. As a side note, the spicy yogurt makes a great dipping sauce for crudités, sweet potato fries, tostones, or any fried vegetables. In other words, make extra. You won’t be sorry.
Inspired by Bon Appetit.
- 1 pound small carrots with tops, scrubbed, with tops cut to ½”
- ¾ pound golden beets, peeled and quartered, with tops removed
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon za’atar
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek or harissa
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon thinly sliced mint, for garnish
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- On a large baking sheet, toss carrots and beets with sugar, za’atar, and oil. Spread evenly onto the pan.
- Roast for 30 - 40 minutes, shaking the pan and stirring the vegetables every 10 minutes, until carrots and beets are tender and begin to brown.
- While the vegetables roast, mix yogurt, sambal oelek and lime juice in a small bowl.
- To serve, spoon the spicy yogurt onto 4 plates (or 1 serving plate), top with the vegetables and sprinkle with mint.
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