roasted carrot and avocado salad.

I know you are probably wondering what's happening around here, two salad posts in one week is not my typical style, but stranger things have happened (like how I've become a less impulsive shopper, go me).  So let's embrace the new me because 10 bucks says by next week I'll be back to discussing the merits of chocolate, caramel, and sea salt crepes and why they make for an acceptable breakfast (they do).  

This salad is the kind of salad that can qualify as a meal.  In my world leafy greens and shredded carrots do not qualify as a meal but this, this does.  This is hearty and filling.  A textural array of awesomeness in each and every bite.  Carrots covered in a combination of citrus and spices are slow roasted until tender and charred.  They emerge from the oven in a state of blistered gorgeousness and then they get paired with wedges of perfectly ripe avocado, a dollop of sour cream, and a heavy sprinkling of pumpkin seeds for the perfect amount of crunch. Now if only all salads could be this awesome.  

Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad

Recipe via the NYTimes who got it from ABC Kitchen.

Serves 4

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes

Salt and ground black pepper

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pound medium-size carrots peeled

1 orange, halved

1 lemon, halved

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and cut in thin wedges

1 1/2 cups packed radish or other sprouts

3 tablespoons sour cream

3 tablespoons roasted hulled pumpkin seeds

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a small food processor or a mortar, pulse or pound the garlic with the cumin, thyme, chile flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper to make a paste. Add vinegar and 2 tablespoons of the oil, and mix well.

Arrange carrots in a roasting pan and spread spice paste on top. Place orange and lemon halves, cut side down, on carrots. Roast until carrots are tender and starting to brown, about 45 minutes.

Using tongs, arrange carrots on a serving platter. With a dishtowel to protect your hands, squeeze juice from the roasted orange and lemon halves into a measuring cup. You should have about 1/2 cup juice. Beat in remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle some of this sauce over the carrots.

Arrange avocado over carrots, then scatter sprouts on top. Drizzle with reserved sauce, top with dollops of sour cream and a sprinkling of the seeds. Serve.