Toasted spices add interesting texture to this classic Tunisian carrot salad recipe from Executive Chef Adam Hynam-Smith, co-owner of El gastronomo Vegabundo, Ontario’s first gourmet food truck. This salad can be served on its own or is fantastic with fish or a grilled steak.
From the cookbook Curbside by Chef Adam Hynam-Smith, Whitecap Books.
Serves 4
Salad Ingredients
8 large carrots, peeled
olive oil, to coat and to finish
1/2 cup (125 mL) kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
1 1/2 Tbsp (22 mL) coriander seeds, toasted
4 tsp (20 mL) cumin seeds, toasted
4 tsp (20 mL) caraway seeds, toasted
2 bird’s eye chilies, finely sliced
1 cup (250 mL) cilantro leaves, divided
1 batch Harissa Dressing (recipe follows)
kosher salt, to finish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Cut carrots in half crosswise and then quarter each half lengthwise. Using a knife, carefully cut the core from each section of carrot. Set core aside for stocks, soups, or feeding to the chooks.
Coat carrots in oil and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Roast in oven for 15-minute intervals, tossing carrots gently in between, for up to 45 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven, and cool on baking sheet to room temperature.
In a bowl, combine roasted carrots, olives, toasted seeds, chilies, and three-quarters of the cilantro leaves. Dress liberally with Harrisa Dressing, tossing to coat evenly. Season to taste with salt.
To serve, arrange carrots in a wood stack formation on a large flat serving plate. Garnish with remaining cilantro, and lightly dress with oil. Serve immediately.
Harissa Dressing
5 Tbsp (75 mL) Harissa
1 clove garlic
3 Tbsp (45 mL) white vinegar
1/2 cup (125 mL) canola oil (approx.)
kosher salt, to taste
In a blender, combine Harissa, garlic, and vinegar. Purée until smooth. Transfer mixture into a bowl. Gently whisk in oil to combine. Be careful not to fully emulsify dressing. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Makes 1 cup (250 mL)
Recipe and photo courtesy of Curbside: Modern Street Food From a Vagabond Chef by Chef Adam Hynam-Smith, Whitecap Books.
Co-host of Food Network Canada’s Restaurant Takeover, Adam is an Australian restaurant-trained chef now based in Canada who has traveled the world, studying and cooking in Morocco, France, England and Thailand.
Recipes in Curbside include Hynam-Smith’s globally inspired street food and celebrate the creativity and potential that modern street food represents in North America.
