Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

  And why not?  Last week I dropped my daughter off at Mic Mac Mall and she quickly called to let me know there was a market in the main entrance. When I returned to pick her up, I popped in to see what was being offered. The Vegetorium Country Farm Market had a small, but jam-packed table.  Every Thursday from now until October locals will have an opportunity to buy produce fresh from the farm.  I eyed the carrots and new potatoes.  Roasted carrots and parsnips make a lovely side dish and easy to eat when serving to children – perfect finger food!

carrots, sliced lengthwise
parsnips, peeled and sliced lengthwise
extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
half a lemon

Preheat oven to 400f. Arrange carrots and parsnips on a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle cumin over the vegetables. Squeeze lemon over and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Place pan in oven and roast 20 to 30 minutes or until veggies are tender. Serve hot or allow to cool to room temperature.

To take this dish up a notch (photo shown at the top), sauté chorizo slices until warmed through and the natural oil is released. In a bowl, add chorizo plus any oil from the pan and the roasted vegetables along with a choice of cooked barley, lentils, or quinoa. These grains can be cool or warm. Add a splash of olive oil, minced garlic and chopped parsley.  Toss to combine.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: If you bought small carrots fresh from the farmer like I did, don’t peel.  Simply scrub clean.  If the carrots or parsnips are large, cut them into quarters (lengthwise).  Roasting brings out the natural sugars in the vegetables and remember to keep an eye on the cooking time. Cut vegetables in roughly the same size for uniform cooking. Enjoy!

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