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Lately, we’ve had amazing weather in Iowa. If you’re not from around here, July is characteristically hot, humid, dry, and honestly, it’s really not that much fun to be outside. The last few days started with cool – almost crisp! – mornings and warm days that quickly melted into beautiful evenings. Did I paint a vivid enough picture for you there? I don’t know about you, but these are the summer days of my dreams! Even though they are few and far between this is what I think summer should always be.
This pleasant weather makes for perfect evenings to invite over a few close friends for drinks – Campari and soda has been my go-to lately – and some small bites. During the summer, I don’t take time to go all out on food. I crave quick dishes that taste great and can be thrown together whenever the entertaining mood strikes.
Total side note here: check out my Instagram to see this gorgeous weather we’ve been enjoying!
Those harissa roasted carrots directly above, looking all pretty and delish, are made from items you’re likely to have on hand (I know they’re always in my cabinets or fridge). The carrots are sprinkled with a homemade spice blend that’s easily made from your spice cabinet. Served with a creamy lemon garlic aioli – think: mayonnaise but 100x better – your friends may never leave.
Cheers to these perfect summer nights!
Watch how to make this harissa roasted carrots recipe:
Other perfect entertaining dishes that I love!
- A tomato tart that’s perfect for this time of year!
- These dilly beans would be a great item to serve up as a quick, munch-able side!
- Deviled eggs! Sure, why not?!
If (and when!) you make these harissa roasted carrots, make sure to leave me a comment with a recipe rating so I know how you liked it! Also, let me know if you changed it up in any way or used your own aioli recipe. I’m always interested in new recipe inspiration to try out!
Harissa Roasted Carrots with Garlic Lemon Aioli
Ingredients
For the roasted carrots
- 1 ½ lb carrots peeled and cut into 4-inch sticks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tsp harissa spice blend (ingredients and recipe below)
For the harissa spice blend
- ¾ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ¾ tsp New Mexico chili powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
For the garlic lemon aioli
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¾ cup safflower oil
Instructions
For the harissa roasted carrots
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the prepared carrots and spread evenly on a baking sheet pan.2 tbsp olive oil, 1 ½ lb carrots
- Sprinkle with salt and harissa spice blend.1 tsp kosher salt, 3 tsp harissa spice blend (ingredients and recipe below), ¾ tsp cumin, ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp ground coriander, ¾ tsp New Mexico chili powder, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder
- Bake in the preheated oven until the carrots are just crisp-tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature with lemon garlic aioli (recipe below).
For the garlic lemon aioli
- In a blender or food processor, combine the egg, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic cloves. Blend until smooth and bright yellow, about 15 seconds.1 large egg, 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 2 cloves garlic
- With the blender running, slowly drizzle the oil in a steady stream until the mayonnaise is thick and white, about 1 minute. Keep chilled before serving.¾ cup safflower oil
Notes
- The aioli can be made up to two days ahead of serving.
- The aioli makes more than enough for 6 servings. The caloric information uses the assumption that a serving size is 1 tablespoon.
Nutrition
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Shishito peppers
Heat a dry cast iron skillet til it’s ripping hot. Toss whole peppers in pan, move around constantly til they are charred(but not black). Remove pan from heat, pour a good olive oil over peppers and sprinkle with your favorite salt. Delish!
all your receipes are great and easy after i watch you you are very enjoyable to watch love it
Love this recipe! So delicious! I make this a lot but sometimes the aioli doesn’t thicken and I can’t figure out why. Does this ever happen to you?
can you please re-post the marachino cherries you made with your mom please thank you. cathy.