A number of years ago, when we were living in Kuala Lumpur, I had a friend who would buy the organic new baby carrots, greens still attached, that would turn up on occasion in one of our grocery stores. They weren’t cheap but she said that they were worth the splurge. As much as I like carrots, I didn’t imagine that she could be correct. Who would pay that much – don’t remember the exact amount except that it seemed like a lot – for carrots? Not me. After all, how special could they be?
Last week I decided that a simple spring vegetable minestrone would be the perfect recipe to share on the Sunday Supper Movement website for today’s Welcome Spring event, and since it was for the website and not just this little blog, I did splurge. I bought freshly hulled peas, fine French beans, baby zucchini, baby leeks and tiny corn on the cob along with a large bunch of spring carrots, greens still attached. Such a pot of sweet wonderfulness.
I used just a couple of the carrots in the soup so I started looking for another recipe to show off the rest. My original plan for this post was simply spring lamb but when I came across a recipe on Bon Appétit for lamb skewers with carrots, it seemed like kismet. (Which comes from the Arabic word for fate, by the way.)
Of course, Bon Appétit being Bon Appétit, the dish was complicated with two marinades and then a dressing, so I simplified it down to one marinade for the lamb and a mere sprinkling of feta and mint for the finished dish. Ain’t nobody got time for all that. I can’t imagine how this could be improved upon. It was perfect in every way and the carrots were fabulous. Sweet, tender and with such wonderful flavor. Now I know what my friend was talking about! Next time I make this, I will double the carrots so I suggest you do too. I’ve already been back to the store and bought another bunch.
Ingredients to serve 2-3
For the spring lamb skewers:
1 lb 3oz or 540g leg lamb chunks
For the lamb marinade:
2 large garlic cloves
1 small red chili pepper
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/4 cup or 60ml dry white wine
1 teaspoon large grain sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup or 60ml olive oil
For the oven roasted spring carrots:
9 1/3 oz or 265g spring carrots
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (a good drizzle to coat)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
8-10 fresh mint leaves
2 oz or 57g crumbled feta
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Cut the lamb into bite-sized pieces and put them in a Ziploc bag.
Mince your garlic and red chili pepper. Strip the rosemary leaves off of the stems and chop them finely.
Add all the marinade ingredients into a mixing bowl up to and including the black pepper, then whisk in the olive oil until well blended.
Pour the marinade into the bag with the lamb. Mix it around until the lamb is well coated, then press all of the air out and seal. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but you can also make this early in the day and leave it marinating till you are ready to cook dinner. Mine marinated about three hours.
To roast the carrots, preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C.
Scrub the carrots well and cut the long tops of the greens off. You can leave on a little bit for color, if desired. If some of the carrots are thicker than the others, cut them in half lengthwise.
Pile the carrots on a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Then spread them out so they aren't touching each other.
Roast in the preheated oven until lovely and golden and caramelized, turning once in the middle of roasting time of about 20-25 minutes.
Thread your lamb onto wooden skewers cut to fit snugly in your grill pan. Discard the bag with the marinade.
Heat the pan over high heat. You’ll need to turn your extractor fan on or perhaps even open a window because this is going to smoke. But it’s going to be fast and worth it, I promise.
Once your pan is scorching hot, lay four of the lamb skewers in it, quickly searing one side. You don’t want to crowd the grill pan so don’t try to cook them all at once.
As you remove the cooked lamb from the grill pan, rest the skewers on the roasted carrots.
Continue until all of your lamb skewers are done and are resting on the carrots. Give the whole pan another few grinds of fresh black pepper.
Crumble the feta and rip the mint leaves onto the lamb and carrots.
Enjoy!
Who is ready to welcome spring with me? My Sunday Supper family sure is. Check out all the lovely spring recipes they are sharing today!
Breakfast:
- Chicken Sausage, Apple and Cheddar Breakfast Bake by Renee's Kitchen Adventures
- Chive and Cheese Quiche by An Appealing Plan
- Lavender Scones by Feeding Big and More
- Raspberry Lemon Baked Donuts by Grumpy's Honeybunch
- Matcha Donuts by The Ninja Baker
- Whole Wheat Lemon Berry Coffee Cake with Lemon Glaze by A Mindful Mom
- Artichoke Lemon Hummus by Food Done Light
- Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart by Baking Sense
- Butter Lettuce and Spring Radish Salad by Hardly A Goddess
- Ceviche with Potato and Pea Shoot Salad by Caroline's Cooking
- Roasted Strawberry Popsicles by Brunch-n-Bites
- Rustic Wrapped Tart with Ramps by Delaware Girl Eats
- An Unconventional Mojito by Monica's Table
- Caribbean Cream Cocktail by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Cucumber Grapefruit Basil Mojito by The Crumby Cupcake
- Limoncello Raspberry Sangria by Eat, Drink and Be Tracy
- Spiced Rhubarb Champagne Cocktail by Hezzi-D Books and Cooks
- Vanilla Lavender Limeade by The Tip Toe Fairy
- Very Berry Springtime Spritzer by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
- Violet Hour by Wholistic Woman
- Cheese Tortellini with Herbed Ricotta and Fava Beans by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Gnocchi Primavera with Spring Asparagus and Peas by La Bella Vita Cucina
- Levantine Fattoush Salad by Curious Cuisiniere
- One Pan Spicy Lemon Chicken with Tomatoes by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
- Orecchiette with Peas, Pecorino and Onions by Cooking Chat
- Pasta with Peas by Manu's Menu
- Pesto Shrimp and Zoodles Oh My! by My Imperfect Kitchen
- Ramp and Mushroom Frittata by Pies and Plots
- Spring Lamb Skewers with Roasted Baby Carrots by Food Lust People Love
- Spring Salad with Scallops and Strawberry Vinaigrette by My World Simplified
- Veggie Pasta Primavera by Momma’s Meals
- Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Rhubarb Salad by The Texan New Yorker
- Green Peas with Onion and Bacon by Magnolia Days
- Minty Pea Farro Spring Salad by She Loves Biscotti
- Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Quinoa Pilaf by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
- Amazing Coconut Cake by A Baking Legacy
- Berry and Honey Whipped Ricotta by Family Foodie
- Caramelized Black Figs and Walnuts with Mascarpone by Un Assaggio of Food, Wine & Marriage
- Carrot Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by What Smells So Good?
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
- Colorado Crème by Cooking on the Ranch
- Honey Blossoms by Get the Good Stuff!
- Hot Milk Sponge Cake by Hey What’s for Dinner Mom?
- Lemon Scented Choux with Rhubarb Ginger Pastry Cream by The Finer Cookie
- Meyer Lemon Bars by The Chef Next Door
- No-Bake Berry Greek Yogurt Pie by An Italian in my Kitchen
- Rhubarb Meringue Pie by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Spring Cookie Bouquet by The Freshman Cook
- Strawberry Cheesecake Puffs by Moore or Less Cooking
- Strawberry Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream by Tramplingrose
- Strawberry Moscato Sorbet by Seduction in the Kitchen
- The Black Beast by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
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