HONEY-GLAZED BABY CARROTS. A plate of a gleaming jewel of this recipe will be a cloud of Southern savoury gravies and smoke-meats. These are not the squashy carrots of the school cafeteria, they are sweet and crisp and buttery, and are covered with a sticky-sweet gloss, which makes the natural taste come out.
It is the perfect side dish in a holiday because it is quick, just one pan is needed and on top of that, it is the side dish that makes the kids ask you to serve them the second helping of vegetables!
INGREDIENTS
The Veggies: 1 lb Bag of Carrots (Babies): Pealed and cut into 2 inch size pieces whole carrots.
The Glaze:
3 tbsp Butter (unsalted)
3 tbsp Honey (clover or wildflower both are very nice)
1 tbsp Brown Sugar (add that molasses undertoning)
The “Brighteners”:
1 tsp Lemon Juice (to counter the sweetness)
1/4 tsp Salt and pinch of Black Pepper.
Garnish Fresh chopped Parsley or sprinkle of Cinnamon (not compulsory)
HONEY-GLAZED BABY CARROTS: DIRECTIONS
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The Steam-Saute: Add the carrots to a large skillet and add just a small amount of water just enough to cover the bottom (about 1/2 cup). Leske a cover and place in the middle within a period of five to seven minutes until the carrots become fork-tender yet not mushy.
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The Reduction: Turn on the lid and turn the heat a step higher. Any water can be evaporated.
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The Glaze: Add the butter, honey and brown sugar to the pan holding the carrots. Continue stirring the mixture until the butter has melted and the sugar is completely mixed into it.
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The Caramelization: Cook an additional 3-5 minutes, stirring up the carrots after every so often. The glaze you want to boil up to get thick so as to cover every carrot with a shiny syrup.
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At the end, mix in the lemon juice, then add a little salt and pepper. This sour punch in the end makes one think that the honey taste is a pop.
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The Serve: Pour the rest of the glaze in the pan and pour it out of the pan into a bowl. Garnish with parsley which is very pretty.
PRO TIPS
When the holiday is the Thanksgiving or Christmas, to include a touch of warm and festive smell, one can add a pinch of ground ginger or orange zest to the glaze.
Do Not Crowd: Large pan is required such that the carrots can be placed in one layer or almost all. It is to give them an all around that beautiful golden caramelization.
Fresh vs. Bagged: Baby carrots (the pre-peeled variety) are an enormous time-saving product; but, in terms of the presentation, whole carrots with the tops intact (peeled and trimmed) are more refined, in addition to being farm-to-table.
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