Cedar-Roasted Carrots With Tofu and Carrot Pesto
- 28 baby carrots in mixed colors, with tops, or larger carrots halved crosswise and lengthwise, rinsed
- 1 small clove garlic
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound regular carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 cup fresh carrot juice
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 pound soft tofu, diced
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- Heat oven to 325 degrees.
- Soak 4 sheets of cedar paper, about 8 inches square (sold in cookware and Japanese kitchen-equipment stores) in water for 10 minutes.
- Cut tops off carrots.
- Reserve 4 sprigs and chop 1 cup, packed, of the tops.
- Turn on food processor.
- Drop garlic in through the feed tube and process until minced, scraping down workbowl once or twice.
- Place chopped carrot tops and lemon juice in processor and process until minced.
- With machine running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil.
- Process to a puree.
- Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Place baby carrots in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Drain cedar paper and spread in the bottom of a roasting pan.
- Spread carrots evenly on top, cover with foil, place over medium-high heat until the oil starts to sizzle, then place in the oven until carrots are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the carrots.
- Remove from oven and wrap loosely in the foil to keep warm.
- Combine diced carrots and carrot juice in a saucepan and cook on medium about 5 minutes until about half the liquid has evaporated.
- Transfer to a blender, add grated ginger and process to a puree.
- Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
- Microwave tofu one minute to warm it, or warm in a steamer.
- Make a pool of carrot puree on each of 4 dinner plates, spoon the tofu on each and arrange the roasted carrots on top.
- Drizzle the pesto around, garnish with some sprigs of carrot tops and scatter sesame seeds on top.
- Serve warm.
carrots, clove garlic, lemon, extravirgin olive oil, salt, regular carrots, carrot juice, ginger, sesame seeds
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12905 (may not work)