I was reluctant to do anything with carrots. Reluctant because, here at the tail end of winter, we’re kind of done with root vegetables, right? Yes. There’s a longing for asparagus, strawberries and the excitement of spring produce, and they’re almost here. But not quite. So what we do instead is jazz up those old root vegetables so it doesn’t even matter what season it is.
And they work pretty darn fantastically in hummus. The roasted carrots add a delicate sweet note that is kept in check by the creamy goodness of the garbanzo beans, given nuance and depth by way of a generous helping of paprika and a little smoky heat from some ground chipotle. It’s kind of addictive!
This Smoky Carrot Hummus recipe is part of the March Seasonal Food Guide
SMOKY CARROT HUMMUS
1 pound carrots, rinsed
3/4 cup cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, juiced (about 3-4 tablespoons)
1 tbs sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp paprika
1/2 t cumin
1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Chop carrots into large chunks. Toss in 2 teaspoons olive oil and lightly salt. Roast for about 30 minutes, until carrots are fork-tender. Set aside until cool enough to work with.
Meanwhile, you can get everything else ready. Using either a blender or food processor, add the garbanzo beans, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, sesame seeds, garlic, all spices and salt.
Once the carrots have cooled, add them to the blender or food processor. Pulse or blend until combined. Have the olive oil on hand if you need to add more because the consistency is too thick.
Garnish with paprika or fresh parsley. Serve with crackers, bread or tortilla chips. Spread on a sandwich. Enjoy!
by Kimberley
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