Spiced Carrots with Smoky Whipped Feta
These roasted spiced carrots with feta are simple to make and can be served in some many ways: As an appetizer, side dish or as an addition for a mezze platter. Serve them with a smoky, ever-so-slightly-spicy creamy whipped feta dip, blended with roasted red peppers.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 g) carrots peeled
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt
Whipped Feta Dip:
- ½ pound feta cheese
- 2 roasted red bell peppers homemade or from a jar (see note)
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
Roast the carrots
- Preheat oven to 425 (220C) degrees.
- Arrange the carrots on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the cumin, red pepper, black pepper and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Roll the carrots around to coat with oil and spices.
- Roast the carrots until they're tender when pierced with a skewer or point of a knife, 25-35 minutes depending on their size.
Make the whipped feta:
- Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl.
- Serve the carrots on a platter or board with the dip alongside, or on individual plates with a big spoonful of dip on each.
Notes
- To roast red bell peppers, put the whole peppers on a hot barbecue grill, under a broiler or directly over a stovetop gas flame until blackened on all sides. Put the peppers in a bowl and cover. When cool, peel off the skin, remove the stem and seeds. Store peeled peppers in the refrigerator for a week or so.
- The feta dip will keep refrigerated up to a week. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
- Aleppo pepper is a deep red crushed red chili used in Syrian and Turkish cooking. It has a warm gentle heat and wonderful fruity flavor. I buy it in specialty stores, and it's also available on Amazon.
- Feta dip adapted from Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean
Nutrition
Calories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 11gFat: 27gSodium: 817mgFiber: 8gSugar: 14g
