Huckleberry’s Roasted Carrots with Avocado

This is one of the L.A. Times best 10 recipes of 2014, and this unusual combination of two of my favorite foods just had to be the first new recipe I tried in 2015. I am needing a purge after my annual  holiday excess of red meat and pecan balls (just forced myself to toss out the last chunk of peppermint bark) and this healthy side dish hardly feels like deprivation. It was dreamed up by  well respected Santa Monica chef Zoe Nathan, who along with her husband Josh Loeb owns a number of restaurants, from bakeries to ice cream shops.

Their mothers were book club buddies, and arranged for the two to meet at Josh’s Rustic Canyon restaurant . Zoe accepted the position of  pastry chef  and ” A few months later Josh asked me to go to a tango lesson, and I moved in like 3 days later.”  Her cookbook showcasing the breakfast foods of their Huckleberry Cafe and Bakery came out last September, and from the recipes and photographs you can see why the line is out the door.

1 1/2 pounds carrots

Olive oil

1 Tbs. cumin seeds

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup lemon juice, more to taste

1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves chopped

1 large avocado

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.  Peel the carrots and cut into one-half-inch-thick pieces.  Toss with just enough olive oil to coat lightly, along with the cumin seeds and a generous 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper, or to taste.

Spread the carrots onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast until the carrots are tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes, tossing occasionally for even coloring.  Remove from the heat and cool. Place the cooked carrots in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice and cilantro.  Peel, seed and dice the avocado and toss with the carrots.  Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.  Chill completely before serving.  Serves 6.

Note:  I was roasting the carrots along with our “Go-To Roast Chicken” (the first recipe posted on Heronearth) and ended up serving this at room temperature rather than chilled , which I thought was delicious! It’s an unlikely but terrific combination of flavors.