I’ve decided to become a big believer in fall grilling. Is that actually a thing? Not sure. Should it be? Absolutely yes, for multiple reasons:
- This. Weather.
- Orange food loves a char. Fall is all about squash, pumpkins, sweet potato— you get the theme here— and all of that holds up to the high heat of a live fire and caramelizes beautifully.
- I’m not ready to give up outdoor drinking. You know that dishtowel/ meme/ t-shirt? “I am outdoorsy. I like drinking on patios.” That’s me, in a nutshell. Put me in a cashmere sweater, switch my rosé to red, and I’m good to go for at least another month or so.
Should you need further convincing to get on board my fall grilling train, these Grilled Heirloom Carrots ought to do the trick. Carrots become satisfyingly sweet when grilled. Lay them on a bed of Greek yogurt and top with salty feta, pickled onions and fresh herbs and you have the perfect fall dish. It’s comforting, cozy and just slightly reminiscent of summer barbecues.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 3-4 thin slices of red onion
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 pound heirloom carrots (I like “Les Petites Carrots” from Trader Joe’s, but you can of course make this dish with regular carrots too.)
- extra-virgin olive oil
- honey
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 ounces feta
- 2-3 stems of fresh mint
- salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Method
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 400°F-425°F. (If you still aren’t into fall grilling, you can use the broiler at 500°F.)
Combine the sliced onion and red wine vinegar in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Prepare the carrots. Peel them if you like. Carrots don’t need to be peeled; the TJ’s ones are already peeled. Remove any carrot tops. Toss with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and a drizzle of honey. You could also add a dash of cayenne pepper if you like extra heat.
Cook the carrots until charred and fork-tender, about five minutes per side.
Meanwhile, spread the Greek yogurt over your serving platter. Lay the cooked carrots down next, and crumble the feta over the top. Scatter the pickled onions, drizzle with a touch more olive oil, and garnish with torn fresh mint.
