Well, carrots of course. Who can think of carrots without thinking of Bugs Bunny?
I used to love Bugs Bunny on Saturday mornings when I was a kid… I occasionally stumble across one now and still laugh. The humor is definitely for adults and was quite sly and racy for the time. Who can forget when, in the Hare Tonic episode, Bugs (after convincing Elmer Fudd that he has rabbititis), campily exclaims, “Oh, Margaret! What a dope.”
But I digress…
Today’s recipe — from The Week — is one that can be used as an elegant side dish, or even as a main course light lunch “salad.” I first made this when Mark and I were visiting Christine and Bill in Todos Santos, México. She had clipped the recipe, and we all loved it.
It has everything you need from protein to fiber to vitamins… and let’s not forget beauty.
~ David
Roasted Carrots with Lemon and Tahini
Click the icon below to print the recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound smallish carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
- 1 small lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup tahini
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Toss onion wedges and lemon juice together in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Allow to sit 8-10 minutes to pickle.
- Drain the onion, discarding liquid. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss onion, carrots, lemon slices, chile flakes, maple syrup, and oil. Roast until lemon slices are caramelized and tender – about 25-30 minutes.
- While the carrots are roasting, combine the tahini with 3 tablespoons water in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon the tahini on a serving platter (or individual plates) and top with carrots, onions, and lemon slices. Serve any remaining tahini sauce on the side.
- Serves 4-6.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Based on the recipe by Allison Roman from Nothing Fancy.
Chef Mimi
November 20, 2021 at 5:34 amBeautiful indeed. Great recipe. Glad you included red pepper flakes!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 20, 2021 at 11:57 amThe pepper flakes and onions work so well with the tahini and lemon! Thanks Mimi!
The-FoodTrotter
November 20, 2021 at 6:06 amIt looks just delightful! I’ve a craze for Middle-Eastern dishes and this roasted carrots and tahini spread platter is just mouthwatering!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 20, 2021 at 11:58 amThanks, Romain — we are in a Middle Eastern cuisine phase, too!
Gerlinde
November 20, 2021 at 8:09 amThis looks really good David. I have never had carrots with tahini. Carrots are some of the few veggies my husband will eat.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 20, 2021 at 11:59 amIt was my first time combining carrots and tahini, Gerlinde — it’s a nice combination.
John / Kitchen Riffs
November 20, 2021 at 8:56 amBugs Bunny was (is!!) hysterical — a lot of those cartoons were way more adult than my little child mind knew at the time. Good stuff. And speaking of which, these roasted carrots are wonderful stuff! Like the addition of the tahini, a lot — not something I’d have thought of. And the maple syrup adds a nice fillip of flavor. Plus the dish is gorgeous! Bugs would approve. I certainly do! Thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 20, 2021 at 12:00 pmWhen I was looking fit that particular clip, I enjoyed going down the YouTube “rabbit” hole — so many fun episodes, John! Thanks for your kind words about the carrots!
Inger
November 20, 2021 at 10:43 amI first thought the reference was the health value B of carrots! Silly me and I’m even old. This looks great and I even found a wonderful tahini that our local co-op makes fresh themselves.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 20, 2021 at 12:00 pmLocally made tahini? Count me in!
sippitysup
November 20, 2021 at 11:00 amIf only Bugs had had this recipe he would have been even more ahead of his time. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
November 20, 2021 at 12:01 pmSo true, Greg — but Bugs is still a good hero to worship!
John
November 20, 2021 at 1:07 pmGeez, I haven’t watched Bugs Bunny since I was a kid! YouTube, here I come.
I’m going to try this recipe not only because I like cooked carrots, but to see if Dean will eat them. He only likes raw carrots, not cooked. These flavours just may sway him!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 21, 2021 at 8:23 amYou will need to report ope Dean will ear them. So good with the lemon and tahini! And enjoy going down the rabbit hole on YouTube!
Eha
November 20, 2021 at 3:46 pmFor some odd reason these little carrots with green tops are called ‘French carrots’ here and command a way higher price than the ‘normal’ ones – they don’t come with a matching ribbon attached either 🙂 !!! Love the simple recipe . . . the tahini has been used before but maple syrup and red pepper flakes as yet have to make the grade ! Bugs Bunny – well, to be honest – I first read it as a child when I was trying to learn English in Germany . . . don’t think any secondary meanings were able to be understood . . . ha ! Mom and Dad were not that enamoured in ‘American comics’ anyways . . . should go back and try make some sense of them 🙂 !!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 21, 2021 at 8:25 amI think our fancy grocer calls the trimmed small carrots “French,” too… but at the farmers market, they just plain ol’ carrots! (And I had the matching ribbon.)
Ron
November 21, 2021 at 7:23 amDavid, first, what a great recipe. Like others, I’ve never had these flavors together before, but will soon.
Now, about Bugs Bunny, I was a fan, but always had a soft spot for old Elmer. However, I was (I’m) a huge fan of the Roadrunner, “beep beep”. I even had a car named after him in the 60s…
Cocoa & Lavender
November 21, 2021 at 8:27 amI am with you on the Road Runner, Ron, especially now that we live in theirs territory. We even get one in our Bach garden now and then… beautiful creatures!
Christina
November 21, 2021 at 7:23 pmOh, you should have gone on and on about Bugs Bunny! I am so happy to know you are still a fan as well! I saw Bugs Bunny on Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl a couple of times and was so excited that Chuck Jones came on stage last time! Of course he got a standing ovation from all the die hard fans!
But on to your carrots!! YUM! That looks like it could be a meal in itself! A bit of fresh crusty bread and I’d be happy!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 23, 2021 at 5:15 amI can’t believe you got to see Chuck Jones! That’s fantastic, Christina. I’ve always been such a big fan of Bugs Bunny… So much humor that holds up well over time.
As for the carrots, they actually have been used as a meal on their own!
Jeff the Chef
November 24, 2021 at 8:17 amAs always, a delicious-looking recipe, and so beautiful! Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving!
Raymund
November 24, 2021 at 4:01 pmThat is simply elegant David
Jean | Delightful Repast
November 25, 2021 at 10:13 amBeautiful dish, David! And what a perfect balance of flavors and textures. I know I’m going to love it! And thank you for sharing memories, and stirring up mine, of Bugs Bunny.
2pots2cook
November 26, 2021 at 2:23 amHappy Thanksgiving ! The dish is absolutely great but the plate stolen my attention ! Amazing one !!!!
Valentina
November 28, 2021 at 8:41 pmAbsolutely beautiful! I really like those thin lemon slices with the carrots, and easy to put together. Love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
sherry
December 24, 2021 at 1:42 amthis looks soooo good david. gotta love a carrot AND bugs bunny. poor old elmer fudd – such a crazy fella.