Smoky Carrot Dip Recipes

SMOKY CARROT DIP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8-10 minutes. Let cool; set aside.
• Cut any thick carrots in half lengthwise, then slice all carrots crosswise into 4 pieces. Toss on a parchment-lined baking sheet with 2 Tbsp. oil and 1 tsp. salt. Spread carrots out evenly on baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until very tender and starting to shrivel and brown (but not char), about 1 hour.
• Transfer carrots to a food processor; add garlic, chickpeas, lemon juice, pepper, paprika, chopped parsley, ½ cup oil, 1½ tsp. salt, and reserved almonds. Process, adding more oil as needed, until mixture is almost completely smooth. Taste dip and add more lemon juice and/or salt if needed.
• Transfer dip to a small bowl, drizzle with more oil, and top with parsley leaves.
• Do Ahead: Dip can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

MOROCCAN CARROT HUMMUS DIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pine nuts on one side of a baking sheet and the cumin seeds on the other side, not mixing the two together. Toast the nuts and spices until fragrant and browning in spots, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool.
• Cut the tops off the carrots and reserve. Peel the carrots and chop them into 1-inch pieces.
• Fill a medium wide-mouthed pot with 2 inches of water. Set a collapsible steamer basket insert into the pot, then bring to a simmer over high heat. Put the carrots in the steamer basket and cook, covered, until the largest pieces are tender when pierced with a knife, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Puree the carrots and chickpeas with a food processor until blended. Add the orange juice, tahini, reserved cumin seeds and 2 teaspoons salt and continue to process until the mixture is smooth and light and very well blended, about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Transfer the carrot hummus to a medium bowl and reserve.
• Pick 1/2 cup packed leaves off of the stems of the carrot tops and reserve. Discard the stems. Pulse the garlic and all but 1 teaspoon of the pine nuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add the carrot top leaves, mint, 1/4 teaspoon salt and all but 1/4 teaspoon of the orange zest and pulse until finely chopped. With the processor on, slowly drizzle in the oil and process until blended well.
• Spread half of the carrot hummus in the bottom of a medium glass serving bowl. Spread 1/2 cup Greek yogurt on top. Spread the remaining carrot hummus over that. Spread the pesto into a wide circle in the center and drop a dollop of the remaining 1/4 cup yogurt in the center of the pesto. Sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon pine nuts and 1/4 teaspoon orange zest. Serve with toasted pita triangles.