Grilled Carrots with Herby Coconut Yogurt and Spicy Beet Vinaigrette
Serves 4 to 6
Don’t ask me why, but you don’t often spot people grilling carrots alongside peppers, zucchini, and eggplant. It’s a shame, because they also grill beautifully, developing a char that balances out their sweetness. Herby coconut yogurt helps, too, tipping the scale with tang and freshness, while quickly pickled beets contribute crunch, acidity, and a different dimension of sweetness.
INGREDIENTS
For the Beet Vinaigrette
1 large beet (about 4 inches in diameter, any color), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 fresh Thai chiles, thinly sliced
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Herby Coconut Yogurt
Handful mixed herbs, such as basil, mint, dill, and cilantro
1 cup plain coconut yogurt
1 scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 juicy lime
For the Carrots
2 pounds trimmed medium carrots, halved lengthwise if thicker than 1 inch
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
MAKE THE BEET VINAIGRETTE
Put the beet in a small mixing bowl, season with the salt, stir, and set aside for 10 minutes to soften and season the beet. Combine the vinegar, garlic, and chile in a small saucepan, bring all to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to gently simmer for 1 minute, just to cook off the garlic’s raw flavor. Pour the hot mixture over the beets, stir, and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Stir in the olive oil.
MAKE THE HERBY COCONUT YOGURT
Roughly chop the herbs. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, most of the herbs, the scallion, and the salt. Use a Microplane to grate the lime zest into the bowl, then halve the lime and squeeze in the juice. Stir well.
GRILL THE CARROTS AND MAKE THE DISH
Fire up a grill to cook with medium-high heat. On a plate, rub the carrots with the avocado oil to just barely coat them (excess oil will lead to flare-ups and unpleasant flavor). Season the carrots with the salt, toss, and grill, turning them occasionally and moving them to a cooler part of the grill if they get dark before they’re tender, until lightly charred and fully tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Let them cool for a couple of minutes.
Spread the yogurt on a platter and top with the carrots. Spoon on the pickle-y beets first, then drizzle on about 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the remaining herbs and serve.
