Smoked Carrots With Coffee Mole Dirt Recipes

EDIBLE DIRT

Steps:

• Finely chop 1 cup pitted kalamata olives in a food processor. Spread in a ring on a piece of cardboard lined with a double layer of paper towels. Microwave 5 minutes on high, then 7 more minutes at 50 percent power. Regrind in the food processor.
• Serve the "dirt" with any salad.

CHARRED CARROTS WITH BLACK MOLE

Steps:

• For the mole: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the garlic, tomatillos, tomatoes, onion and plantain on a sheet pan cut-side up and roast until soft, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, tear or cut the guajillo, pasilla, ancho and chipotle chiles in half, then remove the seeds and stems and discard. Bring a medium saucepan filled two-thirds of the way with water to a boil. Add the chiles and boil for 5 minutes (see Cook's Note). Turn off the heat and let the chiles steep for an additional 10 minutes.
• Toast the almonds, sesame seeds, raisins, oregano, cinnamon and cloves in a medium skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lard to deglaze the skillet.
• Blend the vegetables, chiles and 2 to 3 tablespoons of their soaking liquid and toasted nut and spice mixture in a blender until smooth. (Reserve the rest of the chile soaking liquid as needed to thin the mole if it's too thick.) Remove the puree from the blender and place in a medium saucepan. Add the chocolate and slowly warm, whisking, until melted.
• For the carrots: Bring 3 quarts water and the salt to a boil in a large pot. Blanch the carrots by dropping in the boiling salted water, then cook until the water comes back up to a boil and remove the carrots to a large bowl. Add some of the mole to coat.
• Sear the carrots in a large cast-iron skillet on all sides until softened throughout, about 10 minutes. Serve with additional mole, black pepper, cilantro, lime juice and sesame seeds.

JELLY WORMS IN DIRT

Steps:

• Put 3 cups water in a pan, bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Stir in the strawberry and unflavored gelatin until completely dissolved. Stir in the cream. Pour the hot liquid into a bowl and let stand until slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using a tall drinking glass wide enough to hold all the straws, cut out a circle from the slice of bread to fit in the bottom of the glass. Bundle the straws together with a rubber band and stand them up in the glass, pressing the bottom ends into the circle of bread.
• Using a spouted measuring cup, pour the gelatin mixture into the tops of the straws. Refrigerate until chilled and set up completely, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Put the chocolate wafers in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Arrange the crushed cookie on a plate or in a cleaned flower pot.
• Use the back of a flat wooden spoon to push the gelatin out of the straws. Toss the jelly worms into the crushed cookies, leaving some to stick out.

LARDER'S SMOKED CARROTS WITH ROASTED YEAST

Steps:

• Set up your smoker following the manufacturer's instructions and heat to 250 degrees. Alternatively, set up your charcoal grill for indirect grilling and heat to 250 degrees, using half the normal amount of charcoal (you need less charcoal to keep the heat low). Add the wood to the fire.
• Arrange the carrots on the grate away from the heat and smoke until pliable but still al dente, about 1 hour. To test for doneness, bend a carrot from the ends. The carrot is ready when you can bring the ends to within 2 inches of each other without the carrot breaking.
• While the carrots smoke, make the roasted yeast rub: Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-low. Add the yeast, pepper, cocoa powder, cumin, caraway and juniper berries, and toast, shaking the pan frequently and stirring steadily with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching, until the yeast darkens a few shades to chestnut brown and the spices are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large but shallow mixing bowl and let cool.
• Add the hot smoked carrots to the yeast mixture and toss to coat. Stir in the maple syrup and oil and mix well. Add salt to taste. Let the carrots rest for 10 to 15 minutes to cool while absorbing the yeast and spice flavors.
• Sprinkle with the chopped celery leaves, if using, and serve at room temperature. Mr. Umansky recommends eating the carrots with your fingers.