My favorite kind of meal is a memorable one. If you’ve been to Vedge, the vegetable restaurant in Center City featuring locally-sourced and seasonal ingredients, you probably still fantasize about the courses you ate. I know I do! And while I’d love to dine at Vedge more than once a year, my wallet knows it’s best reserved for very special occasions.

I recently checked out the restaurant’s cookbook in hopes of replicating their irresistible flavors in my kitchen and was surprised at how approachable the recipes are! Out of the many I tried, the Spiced Little Carrots with Chickpea-sauerkraut Puree were my favorite. So good in fact, I have made it several times for guests and has always impressed.

Spiced Little Carrots with Chickpea-Sauerkraut Puree

This recipe is slightly adapted and comes from the Vedge cookbook, written by Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby. I recommend serving this with toasty slices of fresh, seeded rye bread. The combination of flavors will remind you of a Reuben, but way better for you!

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

Carrots:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground fennel
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 2 pounds baby  or young carrots, tops removed, leaving 1 inch of stems intact

Chickpea-sauerkraut Puree:

• 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup bottled sauerkraut with 2 tablespoons of its juices
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 medium garlic clove, smashed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

For the carrots:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Montreal Steak Seasoning, coriander, fennel, caraway, vinegar, salt, cloves, and garlic. Add carrots to bowl and toss to coat.
3. Transfer the carrots to a sheet pan, cover with aluminum foil so they will steam through, and roast until fork-tender, about 15 to18 minutes.
4. Remove the foil and continue to roast until the carrots are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow carrots to cool.

For the chickpea-sauerkraut puree:

1. While carrots are roasting, combine the chickpeas, sauerkraut and its juices, dill, mustard, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor. Process into a smooth, hummus-like consistency.

To serve, spread the bean puree onto a serving plate and arrange the carrots, either still warm or fully cooled, on top. Enjoy with fresh slices of bread.

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Kristina Beese is the co-owner of The Beese Knees, a gourmet ice cream cake company in Philadelphia. With a B.S. in Photography, she styles and photographs all her confections using both digital and 35mm film. Kristina believes cooking is a labor of love and wants to inspire others to find joy in their kitchens. View all posts by Kristina Beese