Recipes: Make the most of local carrots in a soup, salad, or by roasting

Makes 4 servings

Garam masala is an Indian blend of a number of different warm, sweet spices, including cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, plus savory ones such as cumin and black pepper. Here we supplement garam masala with crushed fennel seeds and ground turmeric to create a perfect flavor match for the earthy sweetness of carrots. Inspired by the method used to make tandoori chicken, we toss the carrots with yogurt and spices before roasting. After roasting, they’re finished with a spiced butter flavored with alliums and chopped fresh herbs.

Also, large carrots will not work in this recipe. Bunched carrots with tops are thinner and more tender than bagged carrots. The carrots should not be peeled. Carrots sold with the tops on tend to be smoother and thinner, so peeling is unnecessary.

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

¼ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

2 bunches carrots with tops (1 pound total), tops removed and discarded, halved crosswise on a sharp diagonal

4 tablespoons salted butter

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1 medium garlic clove, finely grated

1/3 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped

1/3 cup lightly packed fresh mint, chopped

Heat the oven to 500 degrees with a rack in the middle position. Mist a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together the garam masala, fennel, turmeric, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a large bowl, mix the yogurt with 4 teaspoons of the spice mix. Add the carrots and toss to coat. Distribute the carrots in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until well charred and a skewer inserted into the carrots meets no resistance, 25 to 30 minutes; stir the carrots once about halfway through.

Meanwhile, in an 8-inch skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot and garlic, then cook, stirring, until beginning to brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the remaining spice mix and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat and set aside.

When the carrots are done, add the spiced shallot mixture and the cilantro and mint directly to the baking sheet and toss with tongs. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a serving dish.

Makes 4 servings

In this silky soup, the addition of baking soda may seem unusual, but it helps break down and tenderize the carrots so they blend into a smooth, velvety texture. Fennel seeds and cumin add earthiness and spice to balance the carrots’ natural sweetness, while a little lime juice added at the end brightens the flavors. Butter-toasted sliced almonds sprinkled onto individual bowlfuls add crunchy contrast.

Water or broth will not work in place of the carrot juice, as the juice bolsters the carrots’ flavor as well as their color. And, a conventional blender, rather than an immersion blender, is best for achieving a flawless puree.

4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, divided

½ cup sliced almonds

1½ pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 cups carrot juice

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus cilantro leaves to serve

1 tablespoon fennel seed

1 tablespoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon baking soda

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve

Plain whole-milk yogurt, optional, for garnish

In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and, with a slotted spoon, transfer the almonds to a small bowl; set aside.

To the same pan, add the carrots, carrot juice, cilantro, fennel, cumin, baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon salt; stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce to low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender enough to be smashed with a fork, about 20 minutes. Cool uncovered for about 5 minutes.

Using a blender and working in two batches, puree the carrot mixture until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and warm over medium heat, stirring, until heated through. Off heat, add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the lime juice; stir until the butter melts. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the toasted almonds and cilantro leaves, dolloped with the yogurt (if using), and with the lime wedges on the side.

Makes 6 servings

Cutting root vegetables ruptures cells, releasing sugars and volatile hydrocarbons, the source of their sweetness and aroma. The more rupturing, the more releasing—and few things rupture cells like grating. The technique also creates a more porous surface and exposes more of that surface, boosting the dressing’s ability to adhere to the vegetables. Hand-held rotary graters are traditional, but the food processor’s grater attachment makes for faster and easier work—and we like the meatier shreds it produces. A box grater works fine, too.

Our carrot salad, inspired by the classic French salade de carottes râpées, is balanced by white balsamic vinegar and a pinch of cayenne. No tarragon? Use 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme instead.

Old bagged carrots are not the right choice here. This salad is all about the earthy, sweet carrot flavor. Large carrots can be woody, dry, and bitter; small baby carrots are too juicy. Look for bunches of medium carrots with the greens still attached.

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 teaspoon honey

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Kosher salt

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1¼ pounds carrots, peeled and shredded

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, tarragon, shallot, honey, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Let sit for 10 minutes. Whisk in the oil until emulsified, then add the carrots and parsley. Stir until evenly coated. Season with salt. Serve or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Christopher Kimball is the founder of Milk Street, home to a magazine, school, and radio and television shows. Globe readers get 12 weeks of complete digital access, plus two issues of Milk Street print magazine, for just $1. Go to 177milkstreet.com/globe. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.