Carrots Recipe

Prep carrots

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Peel carrots if desired and trim tops. If carrots are thick, halve lengthwise; if small, leave whole. Pat dry.

Pan roast

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter. When butter foams, add carrots in a single layer. Sprinkle 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Cook, turning occasionally, until carrots are golden-brown on several sides, about 6–8 minutes.

Finish in oven

Transfer skillet to the preheated oven and roast until carrots are tender when pierced with a fork, 10–12 minutes more (total cook 16–20 minutes). Remove from oven and set aside to rest while you finish other components.

While carrots roast, combine 1 cup labneh, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and spreadable. Taste and adjust salt or lemon. Keep at room temperature.

In a small bowl or jar, whisk together 2 tbs lemon juice, 1 tbs honey, 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper until honey is dissolved and dressing is emulsified. Set aside.

Toast & season nuts

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup hazelnuts and toast, shaking pan, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly.

Spice and chop

In the same skillet, melt 1 tsp butter with 1/2 tsp olive oil over low heat. Add 1 tsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika and 1/4 tsp sea salt; stir briefly until sugar dissolves and spices bloom, about 20–30 seconds. Return toasted hazelnuts to the pan and toss to coat. Remove to a board, let cool completely, then roughly chop to bite-sized pieces.

Spread the labneh in an even layer on a serving platter or individual plates, creating a shallow well in the center for the carrots.

Arrange the warm roasted carrots on top of the labneh. Drizzle the lemon-honey dressing evenly over the carrots.

Scatter the spiced hazelnuts over the carrots and labneh. Sprinkle 2 tbs chopped parsley and 1/2 tsp finishing lemon zest across the dish. Finish with a light drizzle (about 1 tsp) of extra-virgin olive oil and an optional pinch of flaky sea salt.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Leftovers: store components separately (labneh, carrots, nuts) for up to 3 days; rewarm carrots gently before assembling.