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Grilled Carrots with Couscous and Tangy Mint Dill Dressing

This dish is full of lightness and brightness and flavor and I just love it all through the spring and summer time. It is also simple and easy to make. The carrots are blanched and develop a sweet, crunchy, salty flavor. Then, all those herbs in the dressing add a really nice tangy and cooling vibe to the dish. Dill and mint are a match made in heaven, and fresh oregano if you have it laying around really takes it to the next level. 
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Grill, grill pan or sheet pan (depending on how you prefer to cook them)

Ingredients
  

Couscous

  • 1 box bulgur wheat couscous prepared according to instructions

Carrots

  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 2 large bunches rainbow carrots stems on
  • Olive oil to taste
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Dressing

  • 1 cup dill sprigs fresh
  • 1 handful mint (approx. 1 bunch, stems on)
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp agave nectar (can sub honey)
  • 2 tbsp lime juice plus more to taste
  • Pinch of salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp whole milk Greek yogurt

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the couscous according to package instructions; set aside.
  • Preheat grill to 500-600°. (Oven to 475°-500° if using oven)
  • Add the red wine vinegar and salt to a stock pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Mix to dissolve the salt.
  • Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl that will fit the carrots.
  • Wash and peel the carrots and cut the stems. *Optional: leave 1-2 inches of stem on top of the carrots for a rustic look.
  • Cut the carrots into 2 pieces, separating the thin parts from the thick parts. For smaller carrots, feel free to leave them whole. The goal is to create similar sizes so that they will cook as evenly as possible
  • Once the water is boiling, blanch the carrots. Skinnier pieces boil for 4 minutes, thicker pieces for 6 minutes. Check to make sure they are fork tender before removing. NOTE: Fork tender means the fork should be able to slide through the carrot and hold it without a struggle.If it's difficult to prick the carrot (or if it feels raw) let them boil longer. On the other side of the spectrum, you do not want to the carrots to be soft or mushy and to feel fully boiled.
  • Remove the carrots from the boiling water and immediately submerge in ice bath.
  • In the meantime, make the dressing. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until desired consistency. Add or leave out some of the lime juice/olive oil depending on if you want it thick like a dip or thinner like a drizzle. Taste to make sure salt and acid levels are to your liking and if they aren't feel free to add more salt or lime juice to taste.
  • Remove the carrots from the ice bath and thoroughly dry them off. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and season generously with salt.
  • Grill for about 6 minutes on each side until blistered and charred, then flip and repeat on all sides until nice and crispy.
  • To plate, spoon out some couscous, add a few pieces of grilled carrot and top with a generous dressing. Enjoy!

Notes

Notes:
Grill not required, you can use a grill pan or sheet pan if you don’t have access to a grill!
Lactose Intolerance: leave out greek yogurt, or swap for dairy-free yogurt or a small amount of  dairy-free sour cream. 
Add a handful of fresh oregano to the dressing if you have it!
 
Gluten-free: Sub bulgur wheat couscous for  GF version, or use rice or grain of choice. 
Keyword carrots, couscous, fresh dill, greek yogurt, herbs, kosher salt, lime, mint, olive oil, rainbow carrots
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!