It’s rare for me to get seriously fired up about a side dish—let alone one featuring carrots. I mean, yes, carrots are great. I especially love the colorful ones that pop up at the summer farmers markets. But the thing is, it’s really hard to deprogram myself from thinking of those that dominated my childhood: overcooked, mushy, and often served with their equally mushy counterpart, peas. They make a nice addition to a salad, sure, and their presence is welcome in a hearty beef bourguignon. But in all these instances, they’re just a part of something greater.
Not true of Stoneburner’s Heirloom Carrots with Hazelnut Dukkah Spice, Lime, and Bastille Honey. These roasted babies come alive with Egyptian dukkah—a mixture (here housemade) of herbs, Washington hazelnuts, and spices like cumin and sesame. That zesty Middle Eastern magnificence then gets a sweet-and-sour blast from the dueling tart lime and sweet honey (harvested from the beehives on sister restaurant Bastille’s rooftop garden). When I say they almost take on a sweet-potato-fry kind of aura, I mean it in the very best comfort-food sort of way. This dish is a glorious explosion of bold flavors and a pitch-perfect sweet/sour profile that truly carries the humble carrot to center stage. E
nsprinkle@seattleweekly.com