Recipe # 14: Roasted Carrot ‘Fries’

This recipe originally started out as a simple roasted vegetable dish, accented with extra virgin olive oil and red pepper flake.  However, one day I cooked the carrots a bit longer than I had anticipated.  The result was, how can I put this delicately… HEAVEN!  The baby carrots loose their moisture, creating a crunchy yet soft texture.  Better yet, if you have some tiny carrots in the bag, don’t worry - they will brown and crisp to the point of a spicy roasted marshmallow that is browned to perfection!  Truly reminiscent of a sweet potato fry, I once made these for a dinner party as an appetizer and no one believed me that they were carrots.  Such a wonderful, healthy alternative to regular fries, this is sure to become a favorite in your recipe repertoire.  Making this dish more amazing, it couldn’t be simpler!

Roasted Carrot ‘Fries’

1 lb. baby carrots
2 tsp red pepper flake
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt (to taste)

Preheat oven to 450°F.  Slice the baby carrots in half length-wise and place in a large roasting pan with a generous lip (a cookie sheet will suffice, just make sure it won’t bend under the roasting heat).   Sprinkle on red pepper flakes and drizzle with olive oil.  Give a light toss with your hands, coating the carrots evenly.  Place the pan in the oven and roast for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so to keep the carrots cooking evenly.  When done, the carrots will have shriveled and be dark brown.  If you have a few that look ‘burnt’ this is normal.  Let cool for 3 minutes and sprinkle with sea salt to taste.  Serve warm.