You can replace the meaty wors at your next braai with carrots for a tasty vegetarian twist.
Char (either on the grill or under the broiler) and steam them, and then peel off the skins. They end up nicely cooked and lightly smoke-tinged, making them perfect for a cookout.
Choose the largest, thickest carrots you can find; they shrink during cooking, and you can always trim the narrow end to fit the bun.
Serve these carrot dogs nestled in buns with the toppings such as vegetarian chili, cheddar, chopped onion, sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles/relish, ketchup and spicy mustard.
The charred and peeled carrots can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; reheat them on a grill or in a 200-degree oven.
This recipe makes six servings
Ingredients
- 6 very large carrots
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon course salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Method
1. Position a rack as close as possible to your oven's broiler element or flame; preheat the broiler.
2. Line a baking sheet (preferably a small one so the carrots fit snugly on it for easier turning) with aluminum foil.
3. Arrange the carrots on the baking sheet; broil until charred, giving them a quarter-turn every 5 minutes or so, for a total of about 20 minutes. Once they are blackened all over, remove them from the baking sheet and wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. (Alternatively, you can char them on a grill.)
4. Allow them to rest (wrapped) for 15 minutes, during which time they will finish cooking and will become infused with smoky flavor.
5.Unwrap them, and once they are cool enough to handle, pull the charred exterior off each carrot just like you would for a roasted red pepper. (Do not rinse.)
6. Drizzle the carrots with the toasted sesame oil, and season with the salt and pepper.
Adapted from "The Chubby Vegetarian," by Justin Fox Burks and Amy Lawrence