Moroccan Carrot Dip

Daydream's Note:

This unusual, sweetly spiced, Moroccan Carrot Dip is wonderful served with olives and warm flat bread for dipping. From a recipe by Jill Dupleix.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 16 ounces carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and left whole
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• sea salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons seeded green olives (left whole or chopped, your preference)
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
• 4 -6 rounds flat bread or 4 -6 pita pocket bread

Directions:

1. Cook the chopped carrot and garlic in simmering, salted water, for about 20 minutes or until soft.
2. Drain well, then return them to the hot, dry pan for a minute or two, over medium heat, to dry them out further.
3. Tip the carrots and garlic into the food processor bowl, and process until smooth.
4. Add the cumin, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, sea salt, honey and lemon juice and whizz again.
5. With the machine still running, add the olive oil gradually.
6. Allow to cool.
7. Spoon into a serving bowl, drizzle with a little extra olive oil, scatter with olives and cilantro leaves, and serve with lightly warmed flat bread for dipping.

Reviews

[TartGirl]

My friends and I formed a supper club and we cook a different country or regional cuisine each month. This month was Moroccan and I made the carrot dip as an appetizer. It's absolutely delicious, easy to make, tastes exotic, and smells and looks beautiful. Wonderful!

[momof2leos]

This was delicious! I made it for a party so I left out the olives, in case some people didn't like them, and I subbed dried cilantro because i didn't have fresh. It was gone quickly! Incidentally, I make my own baby food and could never get my youngest to like carrots as the older too did....On a whim, I gave hime some of this while I was prepping for the party...he sucked it down. I'm making a DOUBLE batch today!

[minichef22]

When I made this for my family's get together everyone absolutely loved it, but I felt it was missing something but just couldn't figure out what.