Roasted carrot salad, tarator and cress

Roasted heritage carrot salad with tarator. Photograph: Harry Weir
Roasted heritage carrot salad with tarator. Photograph: Harry Weir
Serves: 4
Course: Lunch
Cooking Time: 40 mins
Prep Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

  • 8 medium carrots
  • A drizzle of olive oil (enough to coat the carrots)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 tbs coriander seeds
  • 3 tbs water
  • 2 slices of white bread
  • 80g roasted walnuts
  • 1 clove of garlic, grated
  • 50mls olive oil
  • 4 tbs yoghurt
  • 1 tbs red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • Salt and white pepper
  • Cress to garnish

1 Set the oven to 200 degrees.

2 Peel and top the carrots, then carefully cut them into quarters lengthways and put in a roasting tray. Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, coriander seeds and water.

3 Roast the carrots for 25 minutes or so, depending on their size. They should be slightly charred.

4 Meanwhile, remove the crusts from the bread and cut into chunks. Soak the bread in a little cold water and allow it to sit for a few minutes, then squeeze out the water gently and put the bread into a blender.

5 Add the remaining ingredients to the blender except for the cress, blend till smooth and season.

6 To serve, spoon the sauce on to plates. Make an oval well in the centre, then place the carrots on top followed by the cress. Drizzle any residual carrot cooking juices over the top, if there are none, use a little olive oil instead. Serve warm.

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. He and his wife, Máire, run the Tannery restaurant and cookery school in Dungarvan, Co Waterford