Roast Carrots with Cumin and Goat's Cheese

Luke went off to nursery yesterday with a spring in his step after I promised him we would have a picnic in the garden at lunch time. His requests were for cherry cakes, lemonade and cheesy salad which I duly rustled before he got back. For some reason, at the first sign of sun, light nights and outdoor eating, I start cooking with cumin again. The earthy, aniseedy taste just doesn't seem appealing in the winter months.

This recipe is easy to prepare and is ideal for a picnic.

Enjoy xxx

Luke's verdict: I love picnics!

Recipe ( Serves 4)

1 bunch of carrots
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan
2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted as above
75g goat's cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp chopped mint
Extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1.Scrub the carrots and cut in half lengthways. Put them in a roasting tin and toss with olive oil.
2. Roast in an oven at 180 degrees celsius for about 50 minutes until tender and caramelised.
3. Mash the roasted carrots roughly with a fork and mix with the ground cumin.
4. Spread the mashed carrots on a plate and sprinkle with the pine nuts, goat's cheese and herbs.
5. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve with toasted pitta bread.