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Grains and Starchy Sides

Honey-Glazed Roasted Rainbow Carrots

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Sometimes I just overcomplicate the simple things, I really do.

Honey-Glazed Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Why is it that the side dishes can be the most daunting at times and why is it so easy for me to forget how good something like honey-glazed roasted carrots can be? I guess that’s why I need to memory jolt as much as anybody…..oh how I wish I could blame age….damn!

As I was putting together this year’s Easter meal, I MADE myself hold back on making 10 courses, I honestly did. I mean after all the indulgence of chocolate, morning sweets, coffee, and mimosas, there seriously isn’t enough hours in the day to fit much more food down our pie holes! I mean my God why is it that with holidays we just think we need to eat like its our last meal? I am SO guilty and SO trained…

Nevertheless, I decided to make a fantastic main dish, a beautiful side, and our traditional pane di paqua (Easter bread) and then I quickly reminded myself to “BASTA!” (which means enough in Italian, ENOUGH!).

Since I had a great idea for the main dish, for the veggie side dish, I wanted to stay festive and what is more festive than carrots on Easter, I mean REALLY??? Nature is totally perfect…..

For the main dish I made cavatelli pasta with a delicious braised chicken, leek, and pea sauce so a slightly sweet roasted side dish just sounded like the perfect complement. Plus, if I was making pasta and bread I really needed something easy or out the window goes my fabulous new philosophy of doing less on during these holiday affairs.

As for the recipe, honestly it doesn’t need any extra explaining but just make sure the honey-sauce has the right balance of acid and sweet for your taste buds. Oh and don’t forget the parsley at the end as the green really looks pretty over the carrots and I am ALWAYS about pretty, always.

Now, I do realize that this recipe is showing up a week AFTER Easter BUT I must remind myself that Spring is just beginning and carrots are in season for a while so I don’t feel too bad for posting it late…….well, maybe a little but I’ll get over it, I’m sure.

Honey-Glazed Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Honey-Glazed Roasted Rainbow Carrots
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Side Dishes
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 5 bunches of rainbow carrots, peeled and tops removed except about an inch
  • olive oil
  • sea salt
  • pepper
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 - 3 T honey
  • water
  • chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Peel carrots and rinse and put on sheets in individual layer
  3. Pour olive oil, salt, and pepper and roll around to coat
  4. Put in oven for 25-30 or until roasted and tender when pierced
  5. While carrots are roasting in a glass container mix honey and ½ a lemon. Whisk together and add a little water. Taste and adjust as needed, want a little sweet but not too overwhelming.
  6. When carrots have 5 minutes left, pour glaze over them and return to oven to finish
  7. Remove from oven, put on platter, and top with parsley

Honey-Glazed Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Oven Roasted Lemon Potatoes

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Anytime I have something at a restaurant, someone’s home, a food truck, a festival, or wherever, I spend a RIDICULOUS amount of time working at recreating the dish…. how can I wait until the NEXT time?? Seriously? Anyone relate to this? I almost have to take a 2-week vacation JUST to perfect my newest obsession….. I mean who needs to work anyway? It’s completely overrated compared to satisfying my inner addict.

So these little gems came my way via our monthly getaways to Los Angeles back in early 2000. We used to fly out once a month for my schooling but really I think it was just an excuse to eat chicken wings in our hotel room while watching Jerry Springer, dancing till all hours of the night, shopping until we drop, giggling endlessly over great sushi, and launching out at crazy hours to find the latest “hot spots” to savor the dishes and hopefully catch a glimpse or two of a star.

Whatever it was, it didn’t matter because we had the ride of a lifetime doing adventure. We still miss it and this dish takes me back to one of the many late night launches ……

I can’t remember the name of the mom and pop Greek place where we discovered these but I do remember the food and the couple. They were great. First generation immigrants from Santorini and they shared their stories with us all the while they just brought dish after dish of their families best kept secrets.

So you ask, why lemon potatoes? Why not baklava or lamb solvalki? Or the perfect gyro? Really, lemon potatoes? It’s NOT rocket science girlfriend.

Okay, I get it BUT, mastery came into need when perfecting the marinade and the cooking, they needed to have the flavor and be able to “crisp up” just like they were cooked with more oil. I KNEW that if I ate these babies as much as I was planning, I needed to find a bit healthier balance instead of ringing myself of oil each time I finished. Don’t get me wrong, they are awesome but finding a better balance helped me be able to justify the deliciousness and still fit into my newest threads that were purchased on the same trip.

So enjoy the “skinny” lemon potatoes! Have a good time changing up the herbs to fit your style and go ahead and indulge, I promise your fashion self will thank you!

Just don’t confess to the mom and pop I got inspiration from, I’m sure I have committed a Greek sin having altered the recipe. 🙂

Oven Roasted Lemon Potatoes
 
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I have made them with various herbs, parsley, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, tarragon, and the list goes on. It could be fun to try some spices as well, cumin, smokey paprika…Just be sure to watch the potatoes as they cook so that the liquid doesn't "dry" out at the bottom, add little bit more chicken broth as needed but watch they don't get "soggy" or "too wet".
Author:
Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 3 lbs yukon gold potatoes or 3 lbs other waxy potatoes, peeled
  • ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • ⅛ cup olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup fresh oregano or any herb/spice of choice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 cups chicken stock plus more if needed
Instructions
  1. Peel potatoes and cut them in half (from medium size potatoes, quarter if large).
  2. Let them stand in water while preparing sauce.
  3. Combine all other ingredients in a gallon size"zipper" bag, and shake to combine.
  4. Dry off the potatoes, and put all of them in the bag and let marinate for 2 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  6. Put the potatoes and marinade in a large casserole, approximately 13 x 9.
  7. Roast for 1hr 10min, turning occasionally.