Roasted Carrots and Carrot-Top Frittelles with Ginger-Lime Carrot Purée and Curried Crema Recipe

Makes 4 servings

Olive oil
17 small carrots, trimmed and peeled, reserving carrot-top sprigs for frittelles and garnish
Sea salt
3 sprigs each rosemary, thyme, and tarragon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or to taste
2 tablespoons local honey, or to taste
Ginger-Lime Carrot Purée, see below
Curried Crema, see below
4 Carrot-Top Frittelles, see below

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Meanwhile, place a large roasting pan over two burners on medium-low. Coat pan with a thin layer of olive oil; add 16 carrots in a single layer and slowly caramelize, about 7 minutes. Season with salt to taste and transfer pan to oven, roasting carrots until just tender but not mushy, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice remaining carrot into rounds using a mandoline.

2. Remove pan of roasted carrots from oven and return it to the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add herb sprigs along with butter and honey to taste. Allow carrots to caramelize in pan juices and butter, and herbs to release their flavor. Roll pan around gently to ensure carrots are evenly coated with butter and honey. Discard herbs, and finish with a sprinkling of salt.

3. To assemble dish: Smear some Ginger-Lime Carrot Purée on four room-temperature plates and add a dollop of Curried Crema. Divide roasted carrots evenly among plates, covering purée. Add some raw carrot rounds and a warm frittelle. Garnish with a few carrot-top leaves and more salt, if desired. Serve immediately.

[mf_h2 align=”left” transform=”uppercase”]Carrot-Top Frittelles[/mf_h2]

Accarrino’s recipe for the composed carrot dish calls for only one frittelle per serving, but you can enjoy the remainder in pita sandwiches or salads.

Makes about 24 frittelles.

¾ cup cooked chickpeas
½ medium onion, diced (about ½ cup)
6 carrot-top sprigs, leaves picked (½ cup)
1 tablespoon zatar or sesame seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 clove garlic, crushed
6 medium mint leaves
3 sprigs cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil for frying

1. In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients except oil and blend until mixture holds together. Form into 24 patties, each . inch thick and 2 inches in diameter.

2. In a heavy-duty skillet fitted with a candy thermometer, heat 2 inches of oil to 325°F. Fry frittelles in batches for about 2 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned and crisp but still tender. Transfer to paper towel to drain.

[mf_h2 align=”left” transform=”uppercase”]Ginger-Lime Carrot Purée[/mf_h2]

In a small pot, bring 1 cup carrot juice and ¾ cup carrots, peeled and sliced â…›-inch thick, to a simmer. Add 1 tablespoon minced ginger, season to taste with sea salt, and cook until very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer solids to a blender, reserving cooking juices, and blend until smooth, adding as much of reserved cooking juices as needed to form a smooth, spreadable purée. Add a pinch of cayenne, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, and more salt, if desired.

In a bowl, with an electric mixer, whip . cup heavy cream until medium peaks form. Add 1 teaspoon vadouvan curry* or 1 pinch curry powder and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and continue whipping until stiff, pale orange peaks form. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

*Buy vadouvan curry, an aromatic spice that originated in southern India, at LeSanctuaire; .8-ounce mini-jar for $14.