Carrot is one of the most popular vegetables on earth – it can become anything from cake, to a salad or a juice. Just think about the amount of salads that contain carrots or the amount of mirepoix used as the flavour base for stews, soups and sauces.

Mirepoix (pronounced meer-pwah) is the foundational aromatic in French cooking that is made up of onion, carrot and celery.

Growing up in a home where the meat was always the hero, I am on a constant mission to find and make side dishes and vegetable dishes that will steal the show.

Carrots tend to often play a supporting role in dishes, but in this recipe I will show you that carrots have all the main character energy!

The silky whipped tahini and caramelised roasted heirloom carrots in this recipe is an excellent combination, but it is when the bright green coriander dressing is added that the dish truly shines! I love to garnish the carrots with yellow, orange and purple edible flowers right before serving, but it’s totally up to you if you want to do this.

This dish is great for all year round entertaining and can be served warm or at room temperature.

Carrots:

You can use any kind of carrot, but personally I prefer small heirloom carrots.

Heirloom carrots are known for their beautiful colours (purple, orange, almost black and yellow) and for their superior taste. An heirloom carrot is an open-pollinated variety that has been carefully preserved and passed down through generations; typically for more than 50 years. Heirloom carrots are not genetically modified and will grow from saved seed year after year.

I give them a good wash, but don’t peel them to retain as much nutritional value as possible. Heirloom carrots are available at most retailers and green grocers.

Heirloom Carrots

Tahini:

Tahini is a beige, thick paste made from sesame seeds. You will find it in many Middle Eastern dishes – both sweet and savoury.

The oil floats on top of the paste, so be sure to stir the tahini well before using it.

The whipped tahini is wonderfully light. A bit of magic happens when tahini is blended with cold water and lemon juice; it turns into a slightly frothy smooth cream.

If you do not like fresh coriander, then feel free to skip the dressing.

yolandi

WHIPPED TAHINI WITH ROASTED CARROTS & CORIANDER DRESSING

A glorious way to enjoy carrots - the look and taste will blow you away. Simple ingredients, beautiful colours and bold flavours—proof that humble carrots can be transformed into something amazing!

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Servings: 8 people

Course: Side Dish

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

800 g Heirloom / Baby Carrots / Large carrots
Olive oil
Salt
4 Tbsp Tahini
1 Garlic clove, crushed
200 ml Cold water for the dressing
25 g Fresh coriander, leaves & stalks finely chopped
1/2 Lemon zest plus 1 tbsp juice
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Handful Edible flowers, for garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Prepare carrots: if using baby carrots, wash thoroughly and dry. If using large carrots, peel and cut on the diagonal.
Toss the carrots with olive oil and salt. Spread on a baking tray and roast for 20–30 minutes unGl tender. Flip them halfway through.

To make the dressing:

When the carrots are in the oven, combine the ingredients for the dressing, taste and season. Cover and set aside until needed.

Prepare the tahini:

Blend the tahini, garlic clove, lemon juice and salt together. Slowly add in the water until the mixture is fluffy and creamy. You might need less than 200ml of water.

To assemble: