SEPTEMBER 7 2019 LISTENER 41
To finish, drizzle over the remain-
ing olive oil.
Serves 6.
Wine match: pinot noir.THIS SOUP RECIPE is based on an
outstanding and unusual carrot,
orange juice and prawn dish that I
ate in a New York restaurant many
years ago. The chef, Jean-Georges
Vongerichten, has set up a succession
of great restaurants in his long career
in the US, and he is highly regarded
for his use of spices. My version is
more substantial: a smooth, blended
soup made with fresh carrots,
shallots, ginger and stock, with
the added flavour of orange juice
and zest.CARROT AND ORANGE SOUP WITH PRAWNS
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 shallots, thinly slicedLI
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W
e’ve been eating a lot of carrots
in our household this winter.
The adaptation that keeps
them from dying in the cold
also makes them sweet and
delicious. Whether cooked or
served raw, they are one of the
most versatile vegetables. If you like them crisp and
crunchy, cut the raw vegetable into julienned sticks
or grate coarsely for salads. If you cook your carrots,
make sure they are exposed to heat long enough
to soften and develop their full sweetness without
becoming mushy.
Carrots are one of the few vegetables in which
the nutritional benefits, such as antioxidants, vita-
mins and minerals, are better accessed when they
are cooked rather than eaten raw. This is because
they are hard for the body to break down when
raw, although carrot juice is the exception to that
rule.
Our horticulturists do a great job of supplying
the New Zealand market year-round. Kiwis eat the
largest part of the crop, which is grown in both the
North and South islands – only 9% are exported.
Ohakune may boast the largest carrot in New
Zealand, but 50% of the crop is grown in Canter-
bury, although Southland and Manawatū make big
contributions.
Auckland’s carrot growers are primarily on
the city’s perimeter, and to protect this valuable,
productive land from being swallowed up by hous-
ing, the Government has recently proposed rules
to limit urban development. Who wants to eat
imported fruit and vegetables when we are quite
capable of growing them close to our cities?
Pretty purple carrots have begun appearing in
produce sections around the country. Purple is
actually the original colour of the carrot – the more
common orange version was popularised by Dutch
horticulturists in the 17th century, allegedly as a
tribute to William of Orange.
The purple colour tends to fade when they are
cooked, so the best way to prepare them is to
scrub the skin and slice them into ribbons or grate
roughly.
To prepare this crisp tart, you will need some of
the younger, smaller carrots that are abundant in
spring and easily found in farmers’ markets and
speciality stores.ROASTED BABY CARROT AND RED ONION TART
WITH HALLOUMI
600g small spring carrots
500g frozen pre-rolled puff pastry, thawed
(I used Paneton)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, cut into thin wedges
200g halloumi (I used Zany Zeus)
5 sprigs fresh thyme, roughly chopped1 tbsp white sesame seeds
salt and freshly ground black pepperPreheat the oven to 200°C. Peel and
trim the carrots, then cut in half
lengthwise, unless they are very thin.
Bring a large pan of salted water to
the boil and add the carrots. Simmer
for about 3 minutes until starting to
soften. Drain well and allow to cool.
Lay the pastry on a lightly floured
oven tray and brush with a little of
the oil. Spread over the carrots, leav-
ing about 3cm of pastry uncovered
at the edges. Add the onion wedges,
then crimp the edges of the pastry to
form a defined edge.
Cut the halloumi into 1.5cm slices
and place on the tart with the thyme
and sesame seeds. Season with salt
and pepper and bake for 15-20 min-
utes, until the pastry is browned and
crunchy and the tart looks golden.Roasted baby carrot
and red onion tart
with halloumi. Left,
carrot and orange
soup with prawns.