Honey Roasted Carrots with Cumin and Carrot Top Pesto
It's worth seeking out tricolor baby carrots with their greens still attached to get the most of out this easy but elegant side dish. Smaller baby carrots are a bit sweeter, with younger skin that needn't be peeled. Reserve the freshest greens to make a vibrant pesto for dressing the honey roasted carrots.
Place in rack in the lower third of the oven, and heat to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare the carrots. Trim the greens, then wash and scrub the carrots. Slice thicker carrots in halve lengthwise, and leave smaller carrots whole, to ensure all carrot pieces are roughly the same width.
Place the butter into an 8-oz measuring cup or small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, or until melted. Add the honey and cumin seeds and whisk until throughly combined.
Spread the carrots onto a baking sheet and drizzle with the cumin honey butter. Using your clean hands, rub the honey butter into the carrots, ensuring every piece is evenly coated. Arrange the carrots so that they are evenly spaced on the baking sheet, then sprinkle with salt.
Transfer the carrots to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, flip the carrots, then return to the oven and roasted an additional 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness, until soft and caramelized.
While the carrots are roasting, prepare the carrot top pesto. Place the pistachios, carrot greens, parsley, pecorino, garlic, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for 10-15 seconds until the ingredients are pulverized. Switch the motor to continuous and pour the extra virgin olive oil through the feed in a continuous stream. Continue to process until oil is incorporated and the pesto is smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.
Arrange the roasted carrots on a platter or portion onto individual plates and drizzle with pesto. You'll likely have additional pesto leftover, and it can be used in any way you'd use traditional pesto, such as over roasted potatoes or tossed with pasta. The pesto keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week. The honey roasted carrots are best consumed immediately.