When spring vegetables are at their peak, it’s time for some salad genius. Carrots and oranges are a great food match. Adding avocado and pomegranate seeds gives flavour and texture to the salad. If fresh pomegranates have left the stores, try using freeze-dried pomegranate seeds
Ingredients
| 2 cloves | Garlic, crushed |
| 1 | Red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped |
| 1 tsp | Cumin seeds, toasted and ground |
| 4 Tbsp | Olive oil |
| 500 g | Carrots, small, scrubbed (Main) |
| ½ cup | Vegetable stock |
| 3 | Oranges (Main) |
| 1 | Avocado, firm and ripe, halved, stone removed and peeled (Main) |
| 1 | Lemon, juiced |
| ¼ cup | Pomegranate seeds, optional |
| 1 handful | Basil leaves |
Directions
- Heat the oven to 200C. Place the garlic, chilli and cumin in a small bowl and mix with 1 tablespoon olive oil to make a paste.
- Place carrots in an ovenproof dish and rub with the garlic paste. Pour ½ cup vegetable stock into the corner of the dish to prevent unsettling the paste. Cover the dish with foil and place in the oven. Roast carrots for 20-25 minutes until just tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Place carrots on a serving plate and reserve cooking juices.
- Segmenting an orange: Cut the top and bottom off the orange. Place one of the cut sides down on a board. Starting at the top and following the contour of the orange, cut off the skin, leaving no white pith behind. Working over a bowl to catch the juice, cut between the membranes to release orange segments, reserve juice. Place segments on top of the carrots as you go. Repeat with remaining oranges.
- Slice the avocado and place on the salad. Squeeze over the lemon juice.
- Make a dressing by whisking the reserved orange juice with the remaining oil and flavour with some or all of the carrot juices. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle over enough dressing to moisten the salad.
- Scatter over pomegranate seeds, if using, and the basil leaves.