Everyone—even the most serious eaters—has a food they don’t like. There’s no shame in this. But once you’ve identified yours, the best course of action is to put it and yourself into the hands of a talented chef. Essentially, base jumping for your tastebuds. You will either emerge converted or confirmed in your steadfast dislike. This is my personal philosophy, anyway, and it’s how I found myself ordering carrots for dinner at a dream restaurant in New York City.
We were seated at the perfectly dim bar of Via Carota, the vegetable-forward Italian restaurant helmed by James Beard Award-winning chefs Jody Williams and Rita Sodi.
The carrots came out first, just as the simple menu described: roasted carrots with spiced yogurt and pistachios. I took a bite, dragging my fork through the uber-thick yogurt.
The yogurt was chilled, of course, but surprisingly (and delightfully), so were the carrots. Their texture was perfect, tender but not mushy, and although they were cold, somehow, they retained the warmth of whatever spices they had been roasted with. Most importantly, the earthy sweetness I had always disliked most about carrots, had been corralled, redirected, channeled into this luminous, balanced dance of flavors. Call me a convert.
Selfishly, I ate most of the plate I was supposed to be sharing with my husband. Gratefully, I flew home newly inspired to cook with carrots, beginning with my own homage to their dish in the recipe that follows. Smugly, I was pleased that my philosophy had proved true once again: If you don’t like an ingredient, take off your apron and take yourself to a restaurant where you can order it. A good chef will know what to do.
Photography by Jivan Davé
Carrots with Spiced Yogurt and Pistachios
Ingredients
For the carrots:
- 3 lbs. small-medium carrots any color
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup water
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ cup pistachios roughly chopped
For the yogurt:
- 1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. ground coriander
- ¼ tsp. allspice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or 9x13 casserole dish thoroughly with aluminum foil, making sure there are no gaps in the foil (otherwise, caramelized maple syrup will harden on the pan, making it difficult to clean).
- Scrub the carrots and trim any greens/stems off. Peel the carrots and spread them out on the foil-lined baking sheet. Pour ¼ cup olive oil over the carrots and stir around to coat. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Drizzle half of the maple syrup (⅛ cup) evenly over the carrots, and then pour the water into the sheet pan. Cover tightly with more foil and bake undisturbed for 30 minutes.
- Take pan out of the oven, remove foil cover, gently turn carrots, and drizzle the remaining ⅛ cup of maple syrup over the carrots. Return pan to oven and bake for another 30–45 mins, depending on carrot size, until carrots are tender and the maple syrup has begun to caramelize.
- Meanwhile, combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and all spices in a medium bowl, stirring well. Keep chilled.
- When ready to serve, swirl big spoonfuls of the spiced yogurt across a large platter and carefully nestle the roasted carrots on top. Finish by scattering the chopped pistachios over the carrots and yogurt. Carrots can be served warm from the oven, room temperature, or even chilled if you prepare them ahead. They are delicious every way.
