22- Roasted Carrots

For years I’ve been devoted to candied carrots—carrots cooked with butter and brown sugar and perhaps a dash of orange or lemon juice. Lately, I’ve been reducing the amount of butter and sugar. This year, I abandoned all previous procedures and roasted the carrots with great success.
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Peel carrots and cut in whatever shape you favor. I favor an interpretation of an instruction that I learned decades ago in the Tassajara cookbook--called a Chinese rolling cut. This involved cutting chunks about one and a half inch long on the diagonal--rolling the carrot about a quarter turn and cutting again--so each shape is some sort of oval parallelogram--I'd cut thicker pieces in half--uniformity was not my primary consideration.

For two pounds of carrots: Mix about one quarter cup of lime juice with two tablespoons of olive oil, two tablespoons of maple syrup and salt and pepper--and toss the carrots to coat.

Spread the carrots in a single layer on lightly oiled jellyroll pans. Place in pre-heated 400 degree oven and cook for about twenty-five minutes--check after ten minutes--turn carrots over--they should be caramelized around the edges.

I sometimes, due to old habits, can’t resist tossing the well-roasted carrots into a heavy sauce pan where I’ve melted a tablespoon of butter with a bit of brown sugar. Not necessary, but delicious.

Orange juice or lemon juice would be a fine substitute for the limes--and cumin would work well here too.

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