Roasted Tzimmes

Remember the super-sweet, gooey carrots always on the buffet tables of your grandmothers’ dining rooms? Don’t expect that flavor or texture here. Sweet carrots are so evocative of the Jewish holidays that we didn’t want to exile them to the history books, but we felt they needed an update. Roasting them allows the natural sugars in the vegetables to caramelize without adding sugar. And instead of prunes and pineapples, we have added dried figs—which are always elegant. With the final addition of za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice mixture, this sweet carrot dish becomes another perfect combination of East meets West—a great mix of Ashkenazi tradition with Middle Eastern flavors.

SERVES 6 to 8

8 dried figs, cut in eighths or ¾ cup golden raisins

¼ cup orange juice

¾ pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes or 1½-inch-long sticks

¾ pound sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes or 1½-inch-long sticks

½ pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes or 1½-inch-long sticks

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon molasses

2 teaspoons za’atar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, combine the figs or raisins and orange juice and let soak for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour. Drain and reserve the orange juice.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the figs or raisins, carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, molasses, za’atar, salt, and pepper to taste and toss to coat.

Spread the mixture on the baking sheet. Roast, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables begin to caramelize, 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the reserved orange juice over the vegetables and toss again. Add more salt to taste and serve.