Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted Carrots
- 800 g carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
- 30 ml olive oil
- 5 g salt
Encacahuatado (Peanut Sauce)
- 2 dried ancho chilies
- 2 dried guajillo chilies
- 150 g roasted unsalted peanuts
- 400 ml vegetable broth
- 100 g white onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 5 g ground cumin
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 15 ml neutral oil
Spinach Bed
- 300 g fresh spinach, washed
- 10 ml olive oil
- salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the dried Ancho and Guajillo chilies for 30-60 seconds per side until fragrant but not black. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 15 minutes.
Toss carrots with 30ml olive oil and 5g salt on a baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender and caramelized at the edges.
While carrots roast and chilies soak, heat 15ml neutral oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion, garlic, and cinnamon stick until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in cumin and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove cinnamon stick.
Drain the chilies (discard soaking water). In a blender, combine the softened chilies, sautéed onion mixture, peanuts, vegetable broth, and apple cider vinegar. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
Pour the sauce back into the saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes to thicken and marry the flavors. Season with salt to taste. If too thick, add a splash more broth or water.
Just before serving, heat 10ml olive oil in the skillet. Add fresh spinach and a pinch of salt. Toss quickly over medium-high heat until just wilted (about 1-2 minutes).
Spread the wilted spinach on a platter. Arrange roasted carrots on top. Generously ladle the hot peanut sauce over the carrots. Garnish with chopped peanuts or cilantro if desired.
Chef's Notes
- Discard the chili soaking water as it can be bitter; use fresh vegetable broth for the liquid base to ensure a clean flavor profile.
- The sauce (Encacahuatado) is traditional to central Mexico and should have a consistency similar to heavy cream—thick enough to cling to the carrots but fluid enough to pour.
- For extra depth, you can roast the garlic and onion in the oven alongside the carrots instead of sautéing them.
- If you cannot find Ancho or Guajillo chilies, a blend of dried New Mexico chilies or Pasilla chilies can work, though the flavor nuances will shift.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store sauce and vegetables separately if possible to maintain texture.
Freezer: 3 months — Sauce freezes perfectly; fresh carrots and spinach do not freeze well after cooking.
Reheating: Gently warm sauce on stovetop, thinning with water if needed. Reheat carrots in oven.
