How to make carrots with blood oranges and halloumi

There is much to get excited about with carrots, assures Julia Platt Leonard

(Julia Platt Leonard)

When was the last time you saw a bag of carrots at the supermarket and got excited? Rhubarb, peas and asparagus, of course – they’re around for a few brief moments so we herald their arrival with zeal. Carrots are with us all year round so we take them for granted.

But there are lots of reasons that carrots should get more attention – and respect.

One reason is that 95 per cent of the carrots you find in the supermarket are homegrown, according to the British Carrot Growers Association.

That makes carrots one of the easiest, no-brainer ways to buy British.

How do we keep carrots on the shelf almost year round? In the 1990s, farmers started protecting carrots in the ground with a thick layer of straw so they could be picked throughout the year. Before that, carrots were a summer crop.

The second reason is that few vegetables are as versatile as carrots. They’re happy roasted, boiled, raw or steamed, and have a natural sweetness, vibrant colour and crunch that makes them a star on the plate. And that’s reason enough to celebrate them all year round.

(Julia Platt Leonard)

Baby carrots with blood orange and grilled halloumi

Serves 4 as a side dish

Note: If you can’t find baby carrots, substitute with an equal quantity of large carrots but peel and cut into chunks. Parsley can be used to substitute for the carrot tops.

2 bunches baby carrots with tops, about 300-350g
250ml water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp runny honey
1 blood orange
200g halloumi
Salt

Trim the tops of the carrots, leaving a small bit of the green stem attached. Scrub the carrots, paying particular attention to the stem end, which can harbour bits of dirt. Save the small sprigs of carrot greens and set aside. Zest the blood orange and set aside.

Place the carrots in a large frying pan. Cover with the water – it should not quite cover the carrots. Add in the olive oil and a generous sprinkle of salt. Cook over a high heat until the water is almost completely evaporated and the carrots just cooked through.

Toss in the cumin seeds then the honey. Stir to coat the carrots. Juice half the blood orange and add to the carrots along with the orange zest. Lastly, add the reserved carrot tops and cook for around 30 seconds or until the tops start to wilt.

Remove from the heat. Take another frying pan and heat on high. While it’s heating, take the halloumi and cut into 8 slices. Place the slices in the pan and cook for a minute or two until nicely browned. Repeat on the other side.

Place the carrots with the halloumi on a plate and drizzle over any remaining pan juices from the carrots. Serve warm.

@Juliapleonard