Roasted Carrots with Du Puy Lentils and Aioli

As a child my father took me to St. Lawrence Market on Saturday mornings.  I always stayed close by, afraid I would get lost pushed along by the shoppers.  I knew this was a special place, much different then the stores along Eglinton that my mother shopped at. Upon entering I was always surprised at the lack of sunlight, the smell of sawdust and raw meat  - it made my nose tickle. I learned to eat olives here, there were big barrels, you filled a cardboard box and ate a few too.  My father seemed to know everyone who worked behind the counters, always a taste, a joke, a complaint about the weather. The trip ended when I was sure my father could not possibly carry any more bags, but we never left without sharing a sweet bun, hot chocolate for me and coffee for my father.

When at St. Lawrence Market make sure you shop the Farmers Market, (Saturday's) for the freshest fruits and veggies, you can also find beeswax candles, local honey, cheese, bread and eggs. Then head over to the North Market for the biggest selection of meats and fish.  We always stop for lunch. Gordy gets the side bacon (not peameal) on a bun, (surprise) and I get the raw wrap, (surprise) from the Cruda Cafe or try Busters for their grilled fish sandwich.  When you get home and start unpacking all your goodies you will be thinking did I really buy all this…

Thank you  St. Lawrence Market for the memories and these heirloom carrots.

---

Roasted Carrots with Du Puy Lentils and Lemon Aioli

I like to roast the carrots just long enough to get a few caramelized edges.

Serves 6 as a side dish

Ingredients:

For the Lentils:

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cups onion, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 3 cups vegetable stock or water
• 2 cups uncooked Du Puy lentils, rinsed (I sometimes use the black Beluga lentils, they work well in this recipe).
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme

For the Carrots:

• 2 pounds of  heirloom carrots , washed (do not peel)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
•  a few sprigs of fresh thyme
• salt and pepper

For the Lemon Aioli:

• 1 garlic clove, mashed
• 1 large egg yolk
• zest from half a lemon
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

For the Lentils:

1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan along with the onion and garlic, sauté for about 5 minutes.
2. Add stock or water, thyme and lentils.  
3. Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes or until lentils are tender, but not mushy. Set aside and let lentil cool.

For the Carrots:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash carrots, no need to peel if they are super fresh. I like to leave the tops on for presentation. 
3. Place carrots on baking sheet covered with parchment paper in a single layer and toss with 2 tablespoons of oil and the thyme. You may need to use two baking sheets.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes, then turn carrots over and continue baking for about 15 minutes or until carrots begin to caramelize.

For the Lemon Aioli:

1. Whisk together egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic and mustard in a bowl.
2. Slowly add oil, a very small amount at a time, whisking constantly until the oil is well blended and the mixture is emulsified.
3. Add the salt, pepper and lemon zest.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. If mixture is to thick a few drops of water or lemon juice to get the consistency you want.
6. Store in fridge until ready to use.

To Assemble:

1. Place lentils on serving dish, arrange carrots on top and drizzle with aioli.

Cooks Notes:

You can serve this at room temperature.