Carrot Puff Food

CARROT TART WITH RICOTTA AND FETA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Using a paring knife, lightly score a border around the perimeter of the puff pastry about a 1/4-inch away from the edges. Place puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick the pastry inside the border using a fork to prevent puffing in the center. Bake on top rack until puff pastry is lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil, season generously with salt and pepper and spread into a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast carrots on the bottom rack (underneath the puff pastry) until the edges are golden brown and carrots are still crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While puff pastry and carrots are in the oven, blend ricotta, feta and garlic in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread the cheese mixture onto the puff pastry up to the border and arrange the carrots in a single layer on top. Bake until the carrots are tender and the edges of the cheese mixture are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs before serving.

CARROT WELLINGTON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On one prepared baking sheet, toss the carrots with the olive oil, honey and some salt and pepper. Bake until fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
• Put the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and shallots and saute until fragrant and the shallots are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until all the water has been released and the mushrooms are browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool completely. (This step can be done a day or two in advance.)
• Sprinkle a clean, flat surface with flour. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out the puff pastry to approximately a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Use a spatula to spread the mushroom mixture onto the pastry dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Place the carrots in an even row onto the mushroom mixture, alternating big and little ends to make the layer flat. Sprinkle with the goat cheese and parsley. Use a pastry brush to coat the border of the pastry with egg wash, then roll the pastry 3 times onto itself, into a cylinder. Tuck the ends of the pastry under and pinch the ends closed with your fingers. Place on the remaining prepared baking sheet. Use the pastry brush to lightly coat the wellington in egg wash, taking care not to miss any spots. Using a paring knife, cut 4 slits down the center of the pastry.
• Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

GOLDEN-GLAZED CARROT, MUSHROOM & HAZELNUT TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pop the carrots in a pan of boiling water and cook for 4-5 mins until tender. Spread the carrots out in one layer on a baking tray. Carefully toss with olive oil, seasoning and half the maple syrup. Bake for 20 mins, turning once.
• Next, place the pastry rectangle on a baking parchment-lined baking sheet. Score a 1cm border. Prick the centre area with a fork and put in the oven for 12 mins with the carrots.
• Fry the shallot in butter until totally soft, then stir through the mushrooms. Fry for several mins until mushrooms are tender and the mixture is dry. Spread out on a plate to cool. Whizz a third of the mushroom mixture with the nuts, cream cheese, tarragon and seasoning, so you have a coarse texture. Tip into a bowl and stir through the remaining mushroom mix.
• Remove the pastry base from the oven and gently press down the centre area with the back of a spoon. Spread the mushroom mix inside and lay the glazed carrots on top. You may need to tuck the ends round to fit the carrots in. Drizzle over the remaining maple syrup and bake for a further 12-15 mins until the pastry is golden. Sprinkle with a few tarragon leaves and some more chopped nuts to serve.

PUFFED CARROT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Put carrots in a saucepan, and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil; reduce heat; simmer until tender, 35 minutes. Drain; mash carrots with a potato masher.
• Stir in flour, brown sugar, eggs, butter, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour into prepared dish. Bake for 1 hour.

COMPANY'S COMING CARROT PUFF BAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
• Cook the carrots in a saucepan until fork-tender, about 15 minutes drain VERY well (you might even want to pat dry with a paper towel) cool slightly.
• Place the cooled carrot in a food processor and process until smooth.
• Add in all remaining ingredients; pulse to combine.
• Transfer to baking dish.
• Bake for about 40 minutes or until puffed and set.

RUTABAGA AND CARROT PUFF

Steps:

• Combine carrots, rutabaga, onion, chicken stock, 3 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, and nutmeg in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover saucepan with a lid, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer vegetables using a slotted spoon to a food processor or blender. Continue to cook remaining broth mixture in saucepan over high heat, stirring constantly, until liquid reduced to about 1 tablespoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Add reduced broth mixture to vegetables in food processor; blend until very smooth. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
• Stir eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper into pureed vegetable mixture until evenly combined; spoon into a buttered 6-cup casserole or souffle dish.
• Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir in pecans until fragrant and coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Spread buttered pecans around the edge the vegetable mixture, creating a border. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Bring vegetable mixture to room temperature, about 30 minutes before baking.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove plastic wrap from casserole dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed, set in the middle, and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

CARROT PUFF

Steps:

• Spray an 8" baking dish.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Cook carrots in salted water until done and drain.
• Place butter, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder and vanilla in a blender or food processor.
• Blend and add carrots a little at a time till pureed.
• Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until set.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CARROT PIGS IN A BLANKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Trim and peel the carrots. If any sections are significantly wider than the others, peel them so the carrot is fairly even in width. Cut into 2-inch lengths and put in a large skillet. Add the butter, maple syrup, miso, coriander, garlic powder, paprika, a pinch each of salt and pepper and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to melt the butter and miso, then cover and reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are just tender in the center when pierced with a sharp knife and the liquid has reduced to a thick glaze, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Roll out the puff pastry into a thin 11-inch square (dust your surface with flour if the pastry is sticking). Cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-wide strips (you'll need as many strips as you have carrot sticks). Wrap a strip of pastry around each carrot stick, overlapping the pastry as needed and leaving the ends of the carrot exposed. Put on an unlined baking sheet, seam-side down. Brush the tops with heavy cream or beaten egg and lightly sprinkle with poppy seeds and salt. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with mustard and/or ketchup for dipping.

CARROT TART WITH RICOTTA AND ALMOND FILLING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, cook carrots, orange juice, 4 Tbsp. butter, 1 Tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. vinegar, 1/4 tsp. allspice, and 1 1/2 cups water in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 10-12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer carrots to a plate, reserving liquid in skillet, and let cool.
• Transfer 1/4 cup almonds to a small bowl; set aside. Process 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and remaining almonds, 1 Tbsp. sugar and 1/4 tsp. allspice in a food processor until finely chopped. Add eggs, ricotta, thyme, orange zest, and remaining 4 Tbsp. butter and process until smooth.
• Gently roll pastry to an 18x13" rectangle on a lightly floured sheet of parchment. Transfer with parchment to a rimmed baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, lightly score a 1/2" border around pastry (for a decorative border, make small shallow diagonal cuts within that border).
• Spread egg mixture evenly within border of pastry, then arrange carrots over in a geometric pattern. To create a chevron (zigzag) pattern, form 6 carrots into 3 even "V" shapes so points are touching the long border of the crust. Fill with additional rows of "V" shapes, cutting carrots to fit as needed.
• Bake tart until filling is puffed and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, heat reserved carrot-cooking liquid in skillet over high; cook, stirring, until reduced to a thick syrup, about 10 minutes. Brush top of tart with syrup while still warm. Cut into 12-16 pieces.
• Whisk oil and remaining 1 tsp. vinegar, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl. Add shallot, carrot tops, and reserved almonds and toss to combine. Arrange over tart to serve.