Roasted Carrot Hummus with Orange and Garam Masala

During a blog reading, pinning, and surfing marathon during Spring Break, I found this carrot hummus recipe.

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Fresh carrots from the garden.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a UK food writer and printed some tasty and healthy carrot recipes last year in The Guardian.     He is a proponent for “real” foods and farmers market.   His recipes include Roasted Carrots with New Potatoes and Gremolata,  Carrot and Puy Lentil Salad,  Spicy Carrot Soup with Spinach, Carrot and Rhubarb Juice and this delicious sounding hummus.   I have been plucking up carrots all  winter from the hoop house and am always on the lookout for great carrot recipes.    AND,  I love hummus so I decided to try this.

(Click here for all his carrot recipes.)

I also love garlic so I increased the garlic amount to an entire head, converted the UK amounts and instructions to an Americanized kitchen, and added a bit of Indian spice.

Roasted Carrot Hummus with Orange and Garam Masala
Slightly adapted from Hugh Fearnley Wittingstall

1 lb.  carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
1 head of garlic
2-4 T. olive oil, divided
1 small orange, juiced, zest finely grated
Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon (to taste)
3 T. tahini
1/2 t. garam masala
additional olive oil (if needed for consistency)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
sprinkling of smoked paprika to garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Put the carrots in a roasting pan and coat with oil.   Season with salt and pepper.    Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Cut about 1/4 inch off the tip the garlic.  Drizzle with olive oil and roast for about 25 minutes.   (For a great roasting tip, click here.)

Remove from the oven; let cool slightly.

The garlic was roasted separately.

The garlic was roasted separately.

Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and place in a food processor.   Place the carrots and any oil from the roasting pan in as well.     Add the orange zest and juice, lemon juice, tahini, garam masala and some salt and pepper, and process to desired consistency.  Add more lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning as necessary.

Serve the hummus warm or at room temperature, with crudités or warm pita bread or flat breads.

2013-03-23 15.45.18This is a sweet and totally different take on hummus.   The sweetness comes from the carrots and the orange juice and could be counter-balanced (if desired) with more lemon juice.    This is my lunch this week, wrapped up in a tortilla with turkey and some lettuce (also from the hoop house).

I am using this recipe for my Food ‘n Flix post for this month, too.
Food‘nFlix

Tina from Squirrel Head Manor is hosting this month and chose How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.htlagitd

Yes, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is a film for the females.    And, yes, it was interesting because The Hubs watched it with me.   He did a good job and I was proud of him—there wasn’t any eye rolling but I think he had his eye on Kate Hudson!    Most of the time I watch the Food ‘n Flix films by myself, because face it, most are chick flicks.  Going into the film, I knew that.    I was prepared for a rom-com, a light film perfect to be viewed on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

I was not prepared for the way women were portrayed in the film.   I am no prude, but I cringed when Benjamin (Matthew McConaughey’s character) referred to his co-workers as “The Judies” and “Hips and Lips.”   I hated it when Michelle (Kathryn Hahn) totally falls apart after “dating” someone for a short period of time only to be dumped because of her possessive behavior.   I groaned when Judy and Judy (Michael Michelle and Shalom Harlow) resort to trickery to stay ahead in the corporate world.  To quote Jeanne (Annie Parisse) it was consistently unneeded “Drama, drama, drama.”    To compound my aggravation, I kept thinking about The Rules, the “How to Keep a Man” guide book of the mid-90s.   I actually had a girlfriend who tried to live by it.    (“Drama, drama, drama.”)

But, I loved watching Matthew McConaughey (always) and enjoyed watching Kate Hudson channel her mother in a lot of the scenes, specifically in the scenes where she is trying to drive Ben away by being the ditzy “stereotypical” female.

I did enjoy the ending, a happy resolution befitting these two (ultimately)  likable characters.

So why roasted carrot hummus?   Because I think it would have been more fitting for Andie (Hudson) to have served to the guys as  she busts in on poker night.    Maybe she would have been a bit less annoying and the ruse could have been resolved earlier if she had presented this  sweet dip  to the fellas instead of cucumber sandwiches.   The garam masala addition is a nod to the Indian restaurant scene as well.2013-03-23 15.46.50

Thanks for hosting, Tina!

If you are a film buff, please join Food ‘n Flix in April with Practical Magic hosted by Can’t Believe We Ate.     Participating is easy and you can find out all about it here.  (To see my previous Food ‘n Flix posts, click here.)

Of course, stay tuned for more chocolate.   Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Earl Grey Buttercream from our continued chocolate cooking class highlights is next.

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