A modern take on the traditional Jewish dish tzimmes. This roasted carrot and parsnips dish makes the perfect fall side dish. It is traditionally served for Rosh Hashanah, but can be eaten at any time of the year.
Preheat the oven to 400°F, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the chopped carrots, parsnips, and onion on the baking sheet. Pour orange juice, olive oil, and 2 tablespoons date syrup (or honey) over the vegetables. Then sprinkle with Baharat seasoning and salt over the vegetable mixture. Toss to evenly distribute the ingredients. Then spread the vegetables out into an single, flat layer.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and roast in the oven for 30 minutes; then uncover and roast for about another 25 minutes. Vegetables are ready when they are flecked with golden brown and are soft when pierced with a fork. If vegetables get browned before they are fully soft, cover again until tender.
While the vegetables are roasting, make the tahini drizzle. Whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and water in a medium bowl until smooth. Add more water if needed to thin out the mixture.
When the tzimmes comes out of the oven, taste for sweetness, and if desired, drizzle an additional 1 tablespoon date syrup (or honey), and toss to coat.
When ready to serve, drizzle the tzimmes with the tahini drizzle, and decorate with sliced dates, pomegranate seeds (optional), and fresh mint (optional).
Notes
Sweet Potato variation: Reduce the carrots and parsnips to 1 lb each, and add 1 lb of sweet potato cut into thick spears; about 1 large sweet potato.
Garnish: The pomegranate and mint garnishes are optional, but I recommend them because they add great color and flavor.
Make ahead: To make this dish ahead of time, prep the vegetables the day before. You can also make the tahini sauce a day in advance, and store in the refrigerator. Toss together and roast right before serving for optimal results.
How to store: Store leftovers in the refrigerator covered for 3-4 days.
How to freeze: While you can typically freeze traditional tzimmes, I do not recommend freezing this roasted version as the vegetables will lose their texture.
How to reheat: To reheat, cover and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10 minutes. Once warm, uncover and heat at 400°F (205°C) for about 5-10 minutes to re-crisp a bit. Then before serving drizzle with tahini and garnishes.