The thing about carrots is that the possibilities are endless when it comes to creative combinations. This dead-simple recipe comes together quickly and is excellent for entertaining (you can easily scale it up or down). Bonus points for being pretty as can be on a plate.Chermoula is an herbacious green sauce with African roots (Tunisia; Morocco; Algeria) and a weird and wild flavor profile. It adds spice; brightness and depth to roasted veg; fish and meat; and does especially wonderful things to carrots; whose sweetness is only enhanced by chermoula's complexity.This dish is flexible and bends to your needs: Serve it as is to kick off your meal; or nestle the carrots in a bed of hearty; lemony grains for a vegan main event.

• 2 bunches carrots (multi-colored, if available), tops removed (save 'em for pesto!) except for a few inches of stem
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup toasted hazelnuts
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Sea salt and black pepper

• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
• 2 tablespoons whole lemon
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 jalapeño (remove seeds to keep it mild; add them for extra spice!)
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika (sub smoked if that's what you have)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 packed cup chopped cilantro (leaves and stems)
• 1 packed cup chopped parsley (leaves and stems)
• ½ cup olive oil
• Pinch of sea salt

Preheat your oven to 425°F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper; and add the carrots. In a small bowl; mix the coriander; cumin and olive oil. Pour the mixture over the carrots and toss well with your hands; making sure the carrots are well-coated. (Even oil distribution is the secret to uniformly caramelized vegetables! Use those hands. That's why soap was invented!) Sprinkle liberally with salt. Roast the carrots until they're browned and you can pierce them with a fork; about 35 minutes.While the carrots rest; make the chermoula by tossing everything in your blender and blending on high until the mixture is silky. Thin a bit with olive oil or water if need be (it should be thicker than a vinaigrette yet easy to drizzle). The sauce will keep in your refrigerator for about 5 days; but bear in mind it'll brown a bit as time goes by...Arrange the carrots on a shallow serving tray; sprinkle with hazelnuts; and spoon chermoula generously over the top. Season with the lemon juice; zest; sea salt and pepper.