Carrots, Dates, and Olives with Crème Fraîche and Frico
Carrots, Dates, and Olives with Crème Fraîche and Frico is a delightful and complex dish that brings together the natural sweetness of roasted carrots, the savory punch of olives, and the rich creaminess of crème fraîche. Topped with crisp frico (aged cheese crisps) and accented with a hint of heat from chili flakes, this dish is perfect as a unique appetizer or a side.
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots , trimmed and peeled
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried chile flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup roughly chopped pitted Niçoise or other nice black olives
- ⅓ cup roughly chopped pitted Castelvetrano or other nice green olives
- 4 Medjool dates, pitted and very roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ½ cup lighly packed roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 cup crème fraîche
- Frico
WINE PAIRING
- Chardonnay
Instructions
- SPLIT larger carrots lengthwise and leave slender carrots whole. Cut them on a sharp angle so you have long, angled, ¼ inch-thick pieces of carrot.
- PUT the carrots in a medium saucepan or skillet, add a glug of olive oil and ½ cup water, and season with the chile flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and many twists of black pepper.
- COOK at a lively simmer, uncovered, until the carrots are just crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes—they should still have definite crunch.
- COOL the carrots slightly, drain off any liquid, and pile into a bowl.
- ADD the olives and dates.
- POUR in the vinegar and toss. Taste and adjust with salt, black pepper, chile flakes, or vinegar until the flavor is super vibrant.
- ADD the parsley and toss again. Drizzle with a glug of olive oil and toss again.
- DIVIDE the crème fraîche among 4 plates or a platter and spread it around in a nice schmear.
- PILE the carrot salad on top, leaving some cream visible. If you’re serving with the fricos, lay them on top, either whole or broken into shards.
Notes
Excerpted from Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2017. Photographs by Laura Dart and A.J. Meeker.
Nutrition
Calories: 200kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 300mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 9000IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 1mg
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