Ajlouke de Carottes (Carrot Starter)

This is a traditional Tunisian recipe for a classic salad of cooked carrots and potatoes that are mashed and mixed with garlic, cumin, olive oil, white wine vinegar and cayenne pepper.

To Western eyes this disk looks more like a carrot purée that you would serve as an accompaniment to a main course. But in Tunisia it's treated as a starter and this is how you should use it as well.

 

 Ingredients:

750g carrots, peeled
500g potatoes, peeled
2 garlic cloves, chopped
sea salt, to taste
4 tsp cumin seeds, roasted in a dry frying pan and ground
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
generous pinch of cayenne pepper

Method:

Chop the carrots and potatoes into equal-sized pieces then add to a large pot along with the garlic and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes). Drain and mash well then add the remaining ingredients and beat until creamy. Tip into a bowl and serve at room temperature.