Roasted Carrots with Chervil Pesto

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Roasted vegetables are good anytime of year, but they’re especially comforting during fall. Look to this recipe from chef Jeremy Sewall for a hearty side dish that plays well with seasonal faves like roasted chicken or pork shoulder. Carrots and chervil pesto are equal stars on the plate here. “Chervil can be a little tedious to pick but is worth it for the flavor,” says Sewall. “I love how it tastes with carrots.” Make the pesto, which incorporates oil from the roasted carrots, a day or two ahead of time for easy assembly.

Details

Servings: 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

for the roasted carrots
  • 24 young carrots with tops
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper to season
for the chervil pesto
  • 1/2 cup chervil tops
  • 1/4 cup Italian parsley leaves
  • 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, pull a few out to garnish
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • oil from carrots, should be about 3 to 4 tablespoons
  • 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan plus a little extra to garnish
  • kosher salt and black pepper to season

Directions

for the roasted carrots
  1. Trim all but about 3 inches of the carrot top off, carefully peel and rinse off under cold water.
  2. Place the carrots on a baking pan and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Move the carrots around to make sure they are all coated in olive oil.
  3. Season with salt and pepper and roast in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the carrot. The carrot should be cooked through but not so soft the top falls or pulls off easily.
  4. When the carrots cool a little pour the oil left on the pan into a container to use for the pesto.
for the chervil pesto
  1. Place everything into a food processor except the carrot oil.
  2. Turn on the food processor and drizzle in the oil, as the oil collects it should start to spin all the ingredients. Add just enough oil to let everything move, too much oil will end up in a pesto that is loose.
  3. Season with salt and pepper but taste before you season, the carrot oil will have salt in it and parmesan is naturally salty.
to serve
  1. Warm the carrots in the oven, spread the pesto on a plate and lay the warm carrots over the top of the pesto.
  2. Garnish with the remaining pine nuts and parmesan.

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