Harissa-roast carrots & crispy chickpeas with whipped buffalo curd

Serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side dish

Ingredients

Harissa-roast carrots
500g baby carrots, scrubbed, or medium-sized carrots, peeled and quartered lengthways
2 tablespoons harissa paste
1 tablespoon runny honey
Olive oil 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 
Crispy chickpeas
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained but not dried
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Fregola
½ cup fregola (or giant couscous)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
3 tablespoons chopped coriander or parsley leaves
Whipped buffalo curd
300g jar marinated buffalo curd 

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan bake. Toss the carrots with the harissa, honey, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper and spread out in a single layer on an oven tray. Put the tray in the oven on the top shelf and roast the carrots for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until tender and caramelised.

Spread the chickpeas out in a single layer on another baking tray. Roast for 10 minutes in the bottom part of the oven, to dry. Remove the chickpeas from the oven. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss well, then return to the oven for a further 20-25 minutes until crispy (they will clatter when you shake the tray). Remove to cool. 

While the vegetables are roasting, cook the fregola or couscous in a pot of boiling, salted water for 10-12 minutes or until just tender to the bite. Drain well and toss with the extra virgin olive oil, coriander or parsley, and season with salt and pepper. 

For the whipped buffalo curd, put all the buffalo curd and a little oil from the jar into a mini food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. 

To assemble, spread the whipped curd on a serving platter. Pile on the fregola or couscous, and then the carrots, scraping out the tray juices. Sprinkle over the crispy chickpeas.

Photo: Julie Le Clerc