How burnt fall veggies can upgrade your toast—yes, seriously

If you could Marie Kondo your meals, they might look a lot like the recipes included in Sunday Supper founder Karen Mordechai’s newest cookbook Simple Fare: Fall And Winter. In other words, stripped down and centered around fresh and flavorful, seasonal foods from which any filler ingredients would only detract.

Six years ago, Mordechai began inviting her friends over for homemade meals—on Sundays, of course. These meet-ups allowed the photographer to meld many of her passions into one weekly event, and eventually the brand evolved from a casual shared meal to a legit dinner series, and into a multi-media brand from there. The first cookbook Mordechai authored, Sunday Suppers The Cookbook: Recipes + Gatherings, was named one of the New York Times’ best cookbooks of the year in 2014, and it was followed earlier this year by Simple Fare: Spring and Summer. 

Don’t let the minimalist book cover design fool you into thinking it’s lacking in aesthetics. Each of Simple Fare: Fall and Winter‘s 65 recipes is beautifully styled and photographed. “I wanted to create a book that was big, bold, and beautiful—but also practical and accessible to all kinds of cooks,” says Mordechai. “All the recipes are simple, ingredient-based, and healthful,” she says.

Mordechai is fascinated with all things toast-related (welcome to the club), which is why she’s chosen to share the book’s recipe for a version featuring burnt carrots—yes burnt. (It’s amazing, promise.) Intrigued? Scroll down for the recipe.

Get Mordechai’s recipe for Burnt Carrot Toast below.

Burnt Carrot Toast

Yield: Serves 2

“Over our time in the kitchen, we have learned that you can put nearly anything on toast,” Mordechai says. “This lesson can be a very exciting one, especially with roasting vegetables.” Her pro advice: If you have the time to smoke labneh (Greek yogurt) for this, you will absolutely not regret it. Otherwise, plain yogurt will work just fine.

Ingredients
For the smoked labneh
Hickory wood chips1 cup plain Greek yogurt

For the burnt carrots6 baby carrots, greens trimmed, halved lengthwise3 Tbsp olive oil1 tsp white wine vinegar1/2 tsp sea salt2 slices miche bread1/2 cup (60 ml) smoked labneh1/2 tsp white sesame seeds

2 slices miche bread1/2 cup (60 ml) smoked labneh1/2 tsp white sesame seeds
Cyprus flake salt

For the smoked labneh
1. Mound the hickory wood chips in the bottom of a stovetop smoker, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the drip tray and smoking rack over the top. Heat the smoker over medium-high heat until the chips really start smoking, about two minutes.

2. While the smoker heats, use a toothpick to pock small holes in the bottom of a ramekin-size aluminum container. Alternatively, you can fashion your own container from a doubled-up piece of aluminum foil and poke holes in the bottom. Dollop the yogurt into the container.

3. Once the chips are smoking, place the container of yogurt on top of the smoking rack and close the lid to the smoker. Remove from the heat and cold smoke the yogurt for one hour, keeping the lid closed the whole time. (If your lid doesn’t fit snugly, place something heavy, like a cast-iron skillet on top to keep it completely sealed. After one hour, remove the yogurt (it will be barely colored on top), transfer to a bowl, and stir with a spoon so that the smoky flavor is evenly distributed. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container to store.

For the burnt carrots
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Toss the carrots with two tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar, and salt and arrange them in one layer on a baking sheet. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, drizzle both slices of niche with the remaining one tablespoon olive oil and place the bread on a separate baking sheet. Place in the oven with the carrots and toast, turning once, until crisp on the outside, three to five minutes per side.

4. To assemble the toasts, smear both slices of the niche with the smoked labneh and top with the roasted carrots. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and flaky salt to finish.

If you’re obsessed with all things toast, try this butternut squash variety. Plus, the five ingredients every vegan—or vegetarian—chef should have in the kitchen.