Carrot asado

Asado means "roasted" or "to roast," but colloquially, it also means "welcome to the barbecue." Roasting foods, mainly meats, is highly celebrated in South American culture. Whether it be for a family get-together or a celebration, there is an ever-present party on the block somewhere. Grilled pork, lamb, beef and chicken are devoured coated in spics and herbs specific to every country and the atmosphere is always that of fun and celebration.

This is a vegetarian asado of carrots. It is brought to life with a wonderful blend of spices and finished with a sweet glaze. They are perfectly crisp and sticky on the outside and loaded with flavour. I was pretty surprised how quickly they disappeared. The dish pairs beautifully with grilled meat, acting as a foil for the fats. Every guest at my dinner highlighted how spectacular this dish was, so it is a keeper! This is one of those dishes that will take your guests by surprise, so make extra.

V Street is a collection of vegetarian recipes from the famed chefs who created Vedge Restaurant in Philadelphia. This is their follow-up cookbook, featuring global vegetarian cuisine done well and right.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

8-10 medium carrots, scrubbed and trimmed and cut in half longitudinally

3 tablespoons oil

2 teaspoons Latin spice blend

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

2 teaspoons tamari sauce

2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey

1/2 cup ketchup

2 teaspoons molasses

Latin spice blend (makes 2/3 cup):

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chipotle powder

1 tablespoon dried garlic powder

1 tablespoon dried onion flakes

1 tablespoon pepper

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons dried oregano, Mexican preferred

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried cayenne, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground coriander seed

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Note: To make chipotle powder, grind one chipotle to a fine powder. The chipotles are quite hard, so be sure to grind them finely. Since you are also grinding the seeds, the powder is usually quite spicy.

For the Latin spice blend:

Mix all the ingredients and store them in an airtight jar.

Toss the carrots with the oil and the Latin spice blend till well coated. Layer the carrots on a lined baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, until they are cooked and the spice blend is aromatic. Take care not to burn the spices. Remove and cool.

Add the remaining ingredients to a bowl and mix well to combine.

When ready to serve, toss the roasted carrots in the sauce to coat well. Cook on high heat in a wide frying pan till the liquids have evaporated and the carrots are glazed and sticky, about 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.