Chargrilled Carrot Saffron Dip

Slofoodgroup Team July 15, 2020

Easy Summer Dip with Saffron and Charred Carrots

Truth be told, summer dips rarely stray from the norm—vegetables in ranch, chips and queso or salsa, or (every once in a great while) that weird shrimp and cream cheese concoction. Don't you want to shake things up a bit and show off your culinary expertise at your next pot luck or back yard barbecue? You can do so with little effort when you make a charred carrot and saffron dip! It's not only delicious and impressive, it is vegan, dairy free, and void of gluten, meaning just about everyone will be able to enjoy it!

This saffron carrot dip is so easy to make, requiring only a few ingredients (all with incredible flavor intensity). The key ingredient is saffron. It pairs with carrots wonderfully. Meanwhile, the chili paste balances the sweetness and the earthiness in both carrot and saffron, and the olive oil rounds the recipe out, providing this (oddly) elegant and rustic dip a deep richness.

If you haven’t made tortilla chips from scratch before, we recommend you do. Baked in the oven, homemade tortilla chips are healthier than the store-bought variety and only take 8 minutes to make. You will be so glad you took the extra step! 

How to make homemade tortilla chips with creamy saffron & carrot dip

Ingredients:

For the dip

• 2 carrots
• saffron
• lemon juice
• salt
• pepper
• dried thyme
• 1/2 tomato
• lime juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• chili paste
• salt
• Pepper

For the tortilla chips

• 1 pack corn tortillas
• 3-4 tbsp vegetable oil

Method:

1. Toss the carrots together with the olive oil, saffron, lemon juice, thyme, and tomato. Bring to a baking tray and roast for 30 mins at 180 C, fan on, or until tender and golden.
2. Bring the cooked carrots with the aromatics and tomatoes to a food processor; add some chili paste, lime juice, and olive oil.
3. Blend the mixture until desired consistency; season to taste with salt and pepper. 
4. To make the tortillas, brush both sides of the tortillas with the oil, then cut into triangles with scissors. Arrange in a single layer on 1 or 2 baking sheets and bake for 7-8 mins at 180 C, fan on.
5. Remove, sprinkle with salt and serve with the carrot saffron dip.

 This dip is made spectacular by the quality of the ingredients used in the recipe. Check out our beautiful selection of saffrons!