Heritage Carrots With Hazelnut Granola Food

ROASTED CARROTS AND SCALLIONS WITH THYME AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until they smell toasty and they a're golden all the way through (cut one in half to check). Remove from the oven and turn up the heat to 425 degrees.
• Immediately wrap the hazelnuts in a clean, dry dish towel. Rub them in the towel to remove the skins. Then place the skinned hazelnuts in a plastic bag or, if you have one, a disposable pastry bag and set on your work table in one layer. Use a rolling pin to crush the nuts by rolling over them with the pin. Set aside.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment or oil a baking dish large enough to fit all of the vegetables in a single layer. If the carrots are small, just peel and trim the tops and bottoms. If they are medium- sized, peel, cut in half and cut into 4-inch lengths. Quarter large carrots and cut into 4-inch lengths. Trim the root ends and greens from the spring onions or scallions. If they are bulbous, cut them in half. Season with salt and pepper, add the thyme and olive oil and toss well, either directly on the pan or in the dish or in a bowl. Spread in an even layer in the baking dish or on the baking sheet.
• Roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The onions may be done after 10 minutes - they should be soft and lightly browned. Remove them from the pan if they are and hold on a plate. When the carrots and onions are tender and browned in places, remove from the oven. Add the onions back into the mix if you 've removed them and toss together. Sprinkle on the toasted ground hazelnuts, and drizzle on the optional nut oil, and serve.

HERITAGE CARROTS WITH HAZELNUT GRANOLA

Steps:

• First, make the granola. Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Melt the butter with the honey in the microwave for 40 seconds. Toast the oats, seeds and hazelnuts on a baking tray in the oven for 5 mins. Remove from the oven, mix with the melted butter mixture and return to the oven for another 8 mins. Stir well, then return to the oven for another 8 mins until the granola is golden and toasted. Season with salt and set aside to cool. Can be made up to two days ahead and kept in an airtight container.
• Turn up the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the baby carrots in foil with a glug of olive oil, the thyme and a little seasoning. Wrap in an envelope and bake for 20 mins or until tender.
• Meanwhile, make the purée by heating 80g butter in a pan and gently frying the carrot slices with 50ml water until they start to caramelise. Keep over a low heat for about 15 mins until deeply coloured and completely tender. Leave to cool a little, then put in a blender. Blend with 25ml water until smooth, then season.
• Melt the remaining 20g butter and cook until just brown with a nutty smell. To serve, divide the purée between two plates. Cut the baby carrots into two to three pieces and sit on top of the purée. Drizzle with a little of the brown butter, sprinkle over generous amounts of the granola and finish with a grating of the cheese and a pinch of sea salt.

ROASTED HAZELNUT GRANOLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• To make the granola, toss the hazelnuts, cashews, oatmeal, almonds, coconut, oil, and honey together in a large bowl until they are completely combined. Pour onto a sheet pan and bake, stirring occasionally with a metal spatula, until the mixture turns an even golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the granola from the oven, scrape the pan with the spatula to loosen the granola, and allow to cool, stirring once.