I am sure I was a cow in my previous life (not the kind you’re thinking of!) I love vegetables; raw, cooked, in a salad, roasted or stir-fried, I just love them. And as I get older I do prefer to eat more vegetarian dishes. I really enjoy experimenting with roasting veggies. You can’t go wrong really. I think this carrot and halloumi cheese dish served with pomegranate molasses adds a sharp, tangy edge to the sweetness of the carrot and maple syrup. It could go with a variety of sauces. I encourage you to use your imagination and experiment with sauces and spices too. I would love to hear which sauce and spices you experimented with.
As for the vegans out there, you can swap the halloumi cheese with tofu.
Ingredients For carrots
1 bunch of baby carrots
1 tablespoon maple syrup (you can use honey instead)
1 tablespoon olive oil
For Halloumi
1 packet halloumi cheese
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon olive oil
Salt
Drizzle sauce
1tablespoon pomegranate molasses
3 tablespoons maple syrup mixed in a small serving bowl
Garnish
Roasted hazelnuts
Pomegranate seeds
Mint leaves, chopped finely (don’t leave it out, the mint adds so much flavour)
Method Carrots
Preheat the oven to 200c. If your oven is fan-forced, then lower the heat.
Cut the green bit of the carrots off. Wash and dry thoroughly.
In a large bowl mix maple syrup or honey with olive oil. Using your hands, coat the carrots thoroughly with the mixture.
Place carrots on a baking tray lined with baking paper and roast for approx 30 min so they are nicely roasted but still semi-firm (that’s how long it took in my oven).
Haloumi
While carrots are in the oven line a baking tray with baking paper.
In a small bowl mix turmeric, salt, maple syrup, and olive oil.
Cut the halloumi in half across, then cut into long slices, I ended up with 9 slices.
Place halloumi slices on the prepared baking tray, and using a basting brush, brush the halloumi with turmeric and maple mixture. Turn them over and brush the other side.
Bake in the oven until golden in colour. It took 15 min in my oven.
Assemble On a serving platter, place carrots alternating with halloumi cheese. Drizzle molasses over cheese and carrots first so that the garnished ingredients will stick. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds, hazelnuts and mint.
Love,
Nava.
PS - I love hearing from you! Let me know how it went and feel free to spread the word/passion/love, the more the merrier!