Ingredients
- 20 small heirloom carrots, (purple, white and orange varieties or just use small dutch carrots), washed and trimmed (but not peeled)
- 200 g (7 oz) organic plain yoghurt
- 1/2 bunch fenugreek or purslane, picked and washed
- 8 small nasturtium leaves
- 8 nasturtium flowers (any colour)
Dressing ingredients
- 125 g (4 1/2 oz) organic raw almonds
- 40 g (1 1/2 oz) butter
- 3 tablespoons honey (I use orange blossom)
- 1 tablespoon chardonnay vinegar
- 1 tablespoon orange-flower water
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 long red chilli, sliced
- 100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
Author of this recipe
Quite simply a beautiful dish. The almond and honey dressing really lifts the carrots to a new level. Please try it. This looks spectacular plated individually or on a big platter for the centre of the table.
Preparation
For the almond and honey dressing, place the almonds and butter in a 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cup) capacity saucepan. Place over medium heat and gently warm until the butter starts to foam. Keep it on the heat and when the butter turns a hazelnut colour (beurre noisette), add the honey. Bring to the boil, then reduce by one-fifth. Add the vinegar, orange-flower water and lemon juice, bring back to the boil, turn down the heat and cook gently for 3 minutes. Pull off the heat, add the chilli, olive oil and a pinch of salt and mix thoroughly. Set aside to cool. This dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 2 months - just gently warm before using. Place the carrots in a saucepan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes or until tender. Test the carrots with a sharp knife to see if they’re cooked. Drain, then while the carrots are still hot, cut the larger ones in half, place in a bowl and toss in 3 tablespoons of the dressing. To assemble, place one-quarter of the yoghurt on each plate, then assemble the carrots on top. Dress with a little more dressing (making sure to scoop some of the almonds up) and scatter over the herbs and flowers. Note If purslane, fenugreek and/or nasturtium leaves and flowers aren’t readily available, you could just use flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, baby basil shoots and some small rocket (arugula) leaves.
Tips from the author
Credit: Mr Wilkinson's Favourite Vegetables by Matt Wilkinson, published by Murdoch Books)