Don’t diminish the power of this versatile staple. Carrots are good raw, lightly cooked or slowly cooked – it’s actually quite difficult to overcook carrots. They used to be Summer vegetables but a new farming method of “putting carrots to bed” to keep off the frost, was adopted in the 1990’s and now they can be harvested for 11 months of the year in various parts of the UK. This means they can be put to good use all through the colder months as well as the warmer ones. Here is a nice way to cook them in Autumn and Winter, making the most of their suitability to longer slower cooking. You could even cook them in advance and reheat them when you are ready to eat them if it suits you – they won’t spoil as long as you don’t burn them.
Glazed carrots
For 4-6 as a side dish
For each person, allow 1 medium carrot – peeled, washed and cut into sticks or circles
15g butter
1tsp salt flakes
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp sherry or Madeira
Water to cover
The leaves from a small bunch of thyme
Put all the ingredients except the thyme in a wide shallow pan over high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and let the carrots bubble gently until there is almost no liquid left in the pan. This should take about 20 minutes – keep an eye on them as once the liquid has evaporated there is a high chance that the carrots will burn. Scatter the thyme leaves over the carrots and serve them warm or cold.
In Portuguese restaurants, carrots cooked in this way are often served cold with some olive oil and goat’s cheese with an aperitif while you study the menu.
See also; Beetroots Roasted with Optional Carrots – Marinated Carrots – Carrot and Lentil Soup – Roast Root Vegetables – Simple Vegetable Soup – Pot Roast Chicken
