Carrot Shmoo
Salsa Macha, Marcona Almonds, Sugar Kelp Pita
Chef Grant Rico of Greenwood American Bistro | Seattle, WA
Adapted by StarChefs | December 2025 | PhotO: Will Blunt
INGREDIENTS
Kombu Dashi:
60 grams kombu
Carrot Shmoo:
500 grams carrots
40 grams olive oil
Kosher salt
90 grams clarified butter
100 grams crème fraîche
Salsa Macha:
500 grams neutral oil
100 grams guajillo chiles, seeded
50 grams morita chiles, seeded
50 grams garlic
15 grams kosher salt
Sugar Kelp Pita:
632 grams sugar kelp
2.1 kilograms bread flour
165 grams olive oil
45 grams yeast
28 grams kosher salt
13 grams granulated sugar
Neutral oil
To Assemble and Serve:
All-purpose flour
Dried sugar kelp
Crushed Marcona almonds
METHOD
For the Kombu Dashi:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine kombu and 2 kilograms cold water. Bring mixture to 140°F. Cook 60 minutes. Strain and set aside.
For the Carrot Shmoo:
Heat oven to 350°F. On an aluminum-lined sheet tray, toss carrots with olive oil and salt. Roast until fork-tender. Transfer carrots to a Vitamix Commercial blender. Add 100 grams Kombu Dashi and blend until smooth. With the blender running, stream in clarified butter and continue blending until mixture is fully emulsified. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Let cool to room temperature, then whisk in crème fraîche. Season with salt. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Salsa Macha:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a stockpot over low heat. Cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and reserve.
For the Sugar Kelp Pita:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, blitz sugar kelp until a fine powder is achieved. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine flour, oil, yeast, salt, sugar, sugar kelp powder, and 1.266 kilograms water. Mix on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowls as needed to ensure full hydration. Increase speed and mix additional 5 minutes, or until dough comes together. Transfer to an oiled bowl and shape dough into a pillow. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough has doubled in size. Divide into 175-gram portions. Transfer to dough bins and refrigerate.
To Assemble and Serve:
Heat stone oven to 600°F. In a saucepan over low heat, warm desired amount Carrot Schmoo. Transfer 1 portion Sugar Kelp Pita to a lightly floured work surface. Stretch into 14-inch circle. Bake 1 minute. Rotate and bake additional 1 minute, or until bread is golden brown. Transfer to a small serving plate and dust with dried sugar kelp. Let cool. Spoon warmed Carrot Schmoo into a small serving bowl. Drizzle with Salsa Macha. Garnish with almonds. Serve with warm Sugar Kelp Pita.
