Sweet Roasted Carrots and Capers Make an Exceptionally Delicious Spread/Dip.
I’ve seen many recipes that use carrots as the main ingredient in a spread or dip and I’ve made quite a few of them. But I had something else in mind when I came up with this recipe. I wanted the flavor of roasted carrots, but I didn’t want the texture to be smooth. So, I tossed them in olive oil, Banyuls vinegar ,* and salt, and roasted them at high heat until they’d caramelized, but were still a little bit firm in the center. This way I got all that great caramelized flavor, but they didn’t turn mushy.
I decided to use the shredding disc on my food processor so they’d remain a little chunky and it worked really well. Roasting the carrots brings out their sweetness and I wanted to balance that out with the rest of my ingredients. I chose capers as my main foil. I thought their salty brininess would work really well.
I keep a big jar of salt packed capers * on hand. They’re more sturdy than brine packed capers and after giving them a good rinse to rid them of salt, I prefer their flavor. Then I minced up plenty of shallots and stirred them in, along with more olive oil.
I tasted the spread and it was good, but now it needed acid. I used both Sonomic Gold Almost Vinegar * and fresh lemon juice. Okay, now this was getting really good, but it still wasn’t quite there. Whole grain mustard * and some chopped fresh mint sealed the deal. A healthy drizzle of olive oil on top enriched it and every bite was a delight. The flavor of the sweet carrots, interspersed with little pops of tart capers, shallots, and grains of mustard is anything but boring.
I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of caper powder. It’s simply powder that’s been ground from dried capers and it is delicious on pastas, salads, etc. I thought this would be a perfect time to use it and I was right, but it’s not an absolute necessity. The spread is still delicious without it.
I baked some bread to which I added nigella seeds and we used pieces of it to scoop up the spread. This would be wonderful served as part of a meze spread, all on its own as a snack, or even served alongside some grilled sausages. It would also be delicious spooned into pitas, along with pieces of grilled chicken or lamb.
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Roasted Carrot Spread with Capers
6-8
servingsSweet roasted carrots are shredded and mixed with capers, shallots, whole grain mustard, Sonomic Gold Almost Vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh mint. Scoop it up this exciting and delicious spread with good bread, pita chips, or anything else that strikes your fancy!
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Ingredients
2 pounds carrots, well scrubbed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for finishing
2 tablespoons Banyuls vinegar * or red wine vinegar
Fine sea salt
Black pepper
1/3 cup salt packed capers * or brine packed capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup finely minced shallots
1 tablespoon Sonomic Gold Almost Vinegar *
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons whole grain mustard *
A handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
Caper powder, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 475° with a rack in the center. Line a half sheet pan (13" x 18") with parchment paper. Slice the carrots horizontally into thirds or fourths, if they’re large. Slice the thicker ends in half vertically. Add the carrots to the prepared pan and toss with 1/4 cup olive oil, Banyuls vinegar, and a large pinch of salt. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, set aside, and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Using the shredding disc on a food processor or the large holed on a box grater, shred the carrots. You don’t want them to turn into a puree. Add the carrots to a large bowl and stir in the shallots, capers, remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, Sonomic Gold Almost vinegar, lemon juice, whole grain mustard, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, and plenty of coarsely ground black pepper. Mix well. Taste for seasoning as you may need more salt. Stir in the chopped mint, drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with the optional caper powder. Serve with chunks of bread or pita chips for scooping and Enjoy!
2 Responses
I made this dip for a party with za’atar pita chips and everyone loved it. Great and original recipe!
I’m so happy to hear this, Lauren. Please accept my apology for the delay in responding to your message. I’m in the middle of moving into my new home and haven’t been able to spend much time on anything else. I hope to get back to cooking soon!