Roasted Carrots with Preserved Lemons and Dates
★★☆☆☆
Ingredients
- Carrots
- 1 pound large orange and purple carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise455 g large orange and purple carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil30 ml olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste5 ml kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste1 ml freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
- Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)30 ml fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (from 1 navel orange)30 ml fresh orange juice (from 1 navel orange)
- 2 tablespoons za'atar30 ml za'atar
- 2 teaspoons honey10 ml honey
- Pinch of kosher saltPinch of kosher salt
- Additional ingredients
- 1 cup pistachios, gently smashed240 ml pistachios, gently smashed
- ½ cup chopped dried dates (about 5 dates)120 ml chopped dried dates (about 5 dates)
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped120 ml fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped120 ml fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, roughly chopped60 ml fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 2½ tablespoons preserved lemon, chopped40 ml preserved lemon, chopped
Instructions
- 1. Place a large rimmed baking sheet in oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Toss together carrots and oil in a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove hot baking sheet from oven and place carrots, cut-side down, on baking sheet. Roast carrots until lightly browned and cooked through but not soft, 15 to 20 minutes, turning halfway through baking time.
- 2. While carrots roast, prepare the vinaigrette: Place oil, lemon juice, orange juice, za'atar, honey, and salt in a small bowl or jar (secure lid to jar if using); whisk or shake until combined.
- 3. Remove carrots from oven, and transfer to a cutting board; let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Cut into 1-inch pieces, and place in a large bowl. Add pistachios, dates, parsley, cilantro, mint, and preserved lemon. Drizzle vinaigrette evenly over carrot mixture; toss to combine.
This roasted carrot salad is brightened with bunches of fresh herbs, two kinds of citrus, and the sumac tang of za'atar. The key is to roast the carrots until lightly browned and cooked through but not soft to maintain some texture. Using a preheated baking sheet helps achieve better browning.
Wine Pairing: Medium White — Vermentino — the wine's bright acidity and mineral notes complement the preserved lemon's salinity while its medium body balances the sweet dates and earthy za'atar