The local Farmers Markets are bursting with produce. I often go twice a week. The multi-colored carrots are just beautiful and I bought a bunch, not really knowing how I wanted to prepare them. The variety of carrot colors provide nutrients such as vitamin A and lycopene, and taste different than the standard orange carrots. Chef Seamus Mullen in his Hero Food cookbook, roasts carrots packed in salt. The idea of dry-roasting was very appealing and a method of cooking that I hadn’t tried previously. The salt keeps the moisture inside the vegetables, and provides seasoning on the outside. Other vegetables that can also be salt-roasted are beets, sweet potatoes and parsnips. 

• 1 pound kosher salt
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 4 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 4-6 branches fresh thyme
• 1 bunch rainbow carrots, washed and trimmed

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large roasting pan, combine the kosher salt, lemon zest, peppercorns, thyme and mix thoroughly. Add the carrots and cover completely with the salt. Bake until the carrots are cooked through and tender, about 30-40 minutes or so. Once thoroughly cooked, remove the roasting tray from the oven. Brush off the salt thoroughly and scrape the skin off if you want, with a kitchen towel or back of a paring knife. Serve with fresh thyme and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Source: Seamus Mullen’s Hero Food