Roasted Carrots and Pineapple

A friend of mine sent a recipe called Carrots al Pastor. I have to admit I was intrigued by the idea… roasted carrots in a salsa made from guajillo chiles, pineapple juice and Mexican spices. Sounds spicy, but with the blend of sweet and savory flavors I’ve been cooking lately.

Warm seasonings go well with roasted carrots

Rather than replicate the recipe completely, I’ve attempted to capture the flavors by seasoning the carrots and pineapple with a spice blend. At the same time, I wanted the seasoning to complement any other flavors on the plate, so the intensity has been dialed back (and is easy to adjust to your personal taste). The result was delicious side dish which we enjoyed with some braised pork medallions and herbed rice and peas.

Other than a little knife work, this is an easy dish to assemble. The oven does all the work for you. Use any type of carrots you like. We bought ours from the market with the tops still attached. Cut the larger carrots in half lengthwise to help them cook.

Roasted Carrots and Pineapple

Jazz up plain old carrots with some Mexican inspired spices. Pineapple and onion complement the flavors and make for an exciting side dish.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Course: side, vegetable

Cuisine: Vegan, vegetarian

Servings: 4 people

Author: LydiaF

Ingredients

• 1 bunch carrots about 1 pound or so, tops removed and peeled, split the larger ones in half lengthwise
• 1 medium onion peeled and cut into petals
• About a cup diced pineapple reserve juices if using canned
• some olive oil optional
• chopped parsley for garnish optional

Spice Mix (adjust amounts to suit your taste)

• 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle or cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C
• Toss the cut carrots, onions and pineapple in a small amount of olive oil (optional). Sprinkle with the spice mix (you may not need it all) and toss again.
• Arrange on a baking tray or roasting pan. Pour over any reserved pineapple juice.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the carrots are fork tender. The time will depend on the size of the carrots. Give a stir about halfway through. Cover with foil if needed to prevent over browning.

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Nothing against the pork medallions– they were delicious– but I could have made a meal of just the carrots and the peas and rice, to be honest. If you make these, save some of the leftovers to make this amazing roasted carrot and lentil salad. The seasoning on the carrots will work with the rest of the flavors in the salad.