Rose Harissa Roasted Carrots over Hummus

When no one is looking, this is the type of meal that Jim and I are usually eating.

We both love hummus.  We love roast veggies, and when put together, you really do have a delicious meal.  Just add some crackers, and we can polish off a platter full in no time.  But in the end, just scooping out a little hummus on a plate, adding a few crackers and those lovely roasted veg, who could ask for a healthier meal, any time of day?

This is really a tale of two recipes.  The hummus recipe is not my own.  The carrot recipe is.  

Ottolenghi Hummus

Once I made the hummus recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, I was done.  I had tried all sorts of hummus recipes in the years leading up to this moment.  I have agreed to try other versions since then.  But I always come back to this recipe.  It is just exactly what we want in a hummus.  Chickpeas (yes, if the recipe doesn’t have chickpeas in it, can it really be called hummus, considering that hummus translates as chickpea?) tahini, garlic, lemon, olive oil, and a bit of salt plus water are all that are needed to create the smoothiest, creamiest and brightest hummus ever.  This is a recipe where you will need to start with dried chickpeas that you will soak the evening before.  But it is totally worth it.  The next day you will cook the chickpeas and a smidge of baking soda till completely softened.  They then get ground down into a paste.  The rest of the ingredients are added slowly in a stream into the food processor till the exact texture you desire is achieved.  I always add a bit more water than specified, only to keep it on the creamy side.  And a bit more lemon, ‘cuz we like it bright!

Roasted Carrots

This is really just a variation on my Harissa Tunisian Roasted Carrots.  Nothing could be more simple.  Scrubbed carrots are tossed in olive oil, spices or herbs, and roasted in an oven till cooked through and getting  a most lovely burnish.  The flavour of the carrots will be intensified as the natural starchy sugars of the carrots caramelize, and the spices bring an extra layer of flavour to them.  In this version, rose harissa (a lovely combination of spices, heat and rose petals) and sumac come together to create the fragrant and flavourful finish to these carrots.  The seasonings also flavour the oil which can be drizzled over the carrots and hummus afterwards. Don’t worry, you don’t need to make the rose harissa paste from scratch.  These days you can find it in paste or flake form in most good grocery stores, or online.

Toasted Nuts

For a bit of crunchy texture to this dish, toast off some nuts. In this case I used pine nuts, but you can use slivered almonds, or even pistachios.  They bring some fibre, healthy fat and even some protein to the meal.

Assemble

If you want to serve this dish as a mezes or tapas dish for an evening with friends, just spread the hummus out on a large platter. You don’t need to use all the hummus, use what you want, and save the rest for sandwiches or snacking throughout the week.  Layer the roasted carrots over the hummus.  Drizzle any oils or juices over the carrots and hummus.  If you don’t have enough oils from the baking sheet, feel free to supplement with additional grassy olive oil suitable for dipping.  Scatter the toasted nuts over everything.  Serve with pita bread, lavash, crackers, or even naan.  You can also do all of the above but onto individual plates to give each one their own plate for snacking.

Variations

As you can see, the most current rendition of this dish includes clementine segments.  I added them to the carrots as they roasted.  The juices and intense sweetness that happens is such a great compliment to the carrots.  Of course, you don’t need to use them.  But what if you would like to use shallots? Go for it!  Slice them into quarters or large bite sized sections and toss with the olive oil when you toss the carrots.  What about changing up the carrots?  Sure, go for cauliflower, romanesco, broccoli, even squash or beets.  You will need to adjust the cooking time, or just cut the pieces into smaller bite sized pieces.  Change up the toasted nuts to pistachios, almond slivers, hazelnuts, walnuts or even Dukkah!  And of course, you can switch up the seasonings to maybe a more Indian or even Spanish or Mexican flair.  You do you.

So, this is just a fun Meatless Monday meal for you, or a great starter or appetizer for an evening with friends.  Enjoy!

Love Jen

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Rose Harissa Roasted Carrots over Hummus

A delicious appetizer, feel free to make this as a dinner for a meatless evening. The toasted nuts add crunch and protein, the carrots are perfectly spiced and sweetened with the citrus, and the hummus is the creamiest you'll ever try.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword carrots, hummus, pine nuts, rose harissa

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Soaking time 8 hours

Servings 4

Ingredients

Hummus

• 1 1/4 cups dried chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons tahini light roast
• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic crushed, cut into pieces
• 6 1/2 tablespoons ice cold water
• 1 pinch salt to taste
• 1 dash good-quality olive oil to serve (optional)

Carrots

• 1 lb baby carrots or 450 grams, peeled, and cut in half if thick, You want them all to be of similar thickness for even roasting
• 2 medium clementines peeled and segmented (see Notes)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or 55 grams
• 1 tsp rose harissa
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup pine nuts see Notes

Instructions

Hummus

1. The night before, put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with cold water at least twice their volume. Leave them to soak overnight.
2. The next day, drain the chickpeas. Place a medium saucepan over high heat and add the drained chickpeas and baking soda. Cook for about three minutes, stirring constantly. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cook, skimming off any foam and any skins that float to the surface. The chickpeas will need to cook for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the type and freshness, sometimes even longer. Once done, they should be very tender, breaking up easily when pressed between your thumb and finger, almost but not quite mushy.
3. Drain the chickpeas. You should have roughly 3 2/3 cups now. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and process until you get a stiff paste. Then, with the machine still running, add the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Finally, slowly drizzle in the ice water and allow it to mix for about five minutes, until you get a very smooth and creamy paste. Feel free to add a bit more water if you desire a looser consistency.
4. Transfer the hummus to a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. If not using straightaway, refrigerate until needed. Make sure to take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving. Optionally, to serve, top with a layer of good quality olive oil. This hummus will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Carrots

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Toss the peeled carrots and clementines on a baking sheet that will hold them all in one layer with the olive oil. Make sure everything is evenly coated.
3. Sprinkle all the spices and seasonings over the carrots and clementines and toss well. Spread them out in one layer.
4. Roast until the carrots are tender and turning a lovely burnished colour. Test after 20 minutes, you don't want to over roast or burn them.
5. While the carrots are roasting, toast the nuts in a medium skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat till fragrant and turning golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Toss them regularly to avoid scorching. Transfer to a bowl to keep until needed.

Assemble

1. Spread the hummus on a serving platter or onto individual plates. Place the carrots over the hummus, drizzling any remaining oil over everything. Feel free to supplement with a good dipping olive oil if more is desired.
2. Scatter the pine nuts over everything. Serve with crackers, lavash, naan or pita.

Recipe Notes

If the hummus seizes or stiffens up in the fridge, feel free to thin out with a bit of water and lemon juice if desired. Feel free to make a half batch if so desired.   The hummus is the recipe found in the Jerusalem cookbook.
The clementines are optional if you can't source them depending on the season. But they really do add a lovely tart sweetness.