Recipe and images courtesy of Rebel Recipes (@rebelrecipes on Instagram)
Give your Christmas carrots a delicious twist! Roasted until sweet and sticky with harissa, maple syrup and orange, then finished with juicy apricots and a crunchy, fragrant pistachio dukkah. A gorgeous combination of sweet, spicy and nutty flavours that’s anything but an ordinary side dish.
Serves: 4–6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35–40 minutes
Ingredients
For the carrots
- 750g carrots, scrubbed and trimmed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp rose harissa paste
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 75g dried apricots, finely chopped
- Sea salt and black pepper
For the pistachio dukkah
- 40g shelled pistachios
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
To finish
- Small handful of fresh coriander or flat-leaf parsely
- Extra orange zest, optional
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Arrange the carrots in a large roasting tin, halving any particularly thick ones lengthways.
- Mix the olive oil, harissa, 1 tbsp maple syrup, orange zest and half the orange juice. Toss through the carrots, season generously and spread in a single layer.
- Roast for 25 minutes, turning once, until beginning to caramelise.
- Meanwhile, make the dukkah. Toast the pistachios, sesame seeds, cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Allow to cool, then pulse briefly in a food processor or roughly chop and crush with a pestle and mortar. Stir through the cinnamon and salt.
- Mix the chopped apricots with the remaining tablespoon of maple syrup and orange juice. Spoon over the carrots and toss gently. Return to the oven for 10–15 minutes until the carrots are tender, glossy and sticky.
- Transfer to a serving platter, scraping over any sticky pan juices. Scatter generously with the pistachio dukkah, fresh herbs and a little extra orange zest, if using.
Cook’s tip: Add the apricots towards the end of roasting so they become sticky and jammy without burning. The dukkah can be prepared several days ahead and stored in an airtight container.
