Okay, I know roasted carrots are more apt for October than May. But really? Here at Copywriter’s Kitchen we eat carrots all year long. Especially on Thursdays.
Let me explain. This blog’s premise—and promise—is “fast, frugal scratch cooking for freelance writers and other busy people.” To make this contradiction in terms a reality, I rely on a number of time-saving habits and routines. Including once-weekly grocery shopping.
Much as I revere femme de ménage-style daily food shopping, it’s just not possible chez nous. Juggling copywriting, blogging, family responsibilities—including care of a naughty-but-lovable boxer puppy— takes all my time. I can’t run out for a pint of heavy cream, oil-cured olives or—to the point of this post—a pound of seasonal asparagus whenever.
So we buy all produce on Saturday. Then we enjoy vegetable side dishes by descending degrees of perishability as the week wings along.
From Sunday through Wednesday, we feast on broccoli, asparagus, spinach and other leafy greens. By Thursday were down to hardcore root vegetables.
And guess what. It’s not easy making these dull veggies sing a song in your mouth. Especially if you don’t want to fuss à la Julia Child. On Thursday, we’re worn out. With the Friday finish line in sight, we want comfort food, but no one’s willing to make an au gratin this or multiple-step that.
Enter Thursday Fiery Roasted Carrots with Red Chili, Cumin and Coriander. Like all roasted vegetables, these carrots cook themselves. All you do is peel, chop and throw them in the pan with crushed spices, olive oil and spoonful of Demerara sugar. They bake and brown into comforting, caramelized goodness, while you work or clean up the puppy’s accident.
Whole spices deliver fullest flavor
Bottom line: Crushed spices are key to this recipe—and to more and more dishes I cook these days. Once you taste fresh-smashed cumin seeds or pounded whole chili, you won’t want to go back to their chalky, powdery equivalents.
Do yourself a favor: Buy a good mortar and pestle—I got mine for less than $10 at the Christmas Tree Store. And start collecting whole spices, available at Indian grocery stores.
With these items on hand, you’ll find yourself reaching increasingly for whole spices when you throw together soups, salads, dips and side dishes.
Don’t be intimidated at the thought of grinding the spices. They don’t have to be pulverized to talcum powder fineness. I think you’ll find that chunky spices add amazing flavor—and texture—to most recipes that call for powdered versions. It’s delightful to bite into a whole bit of cumin or fennel and have your mouth fill with the intense, perfumed spiciness.
Thursday Fiery Roasted Carrots with Red Chili, Cumin and Coriander are great served hot or at room temperature. In addition to serving these carrots as a side dish, they also dress up plain mixed green salads with vinaigrette—sort of a work-night version of Winter Greens and Cumin Roast Carrot Salad.
These carrots are also special enough to skewer on toothpicks and present as cocktail tidbits.
Thursday Fiery Roasted Carrots with Red Chili, Cumin and Coriander Recipe
1 pound of carrots
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1/2 whole red chili pepper
1 teaspoon Demerara or brown sugar
Sea salt to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel and roughly chop carrots. Toss into a baking pan.
- With a mortar and pestle, roughly grind coriander seeds, cumin seeds and chili. Note: Whole chilis are fiery. For a less searing version of this dish, remove some or all of the chili’s spicy seeds.
- Add spices to carrots along with olive oil, sugar and salt to taste.
- Cover pan with foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove foil, stir carrots to brown evenly. Continue to roast uncovered for another 10-12 minutes until carrots reach your desired level of withered, caramelized deliciousness.
Serves 4.
