Glazed carrots are a classic French preparation. But I don’t always think about that. Not that it’s difficult, but frankly, I tend to use carrots as an afterthought, raw as a snack, chopped with celery and onions, or simply roasted. But rarely as a stand-alone star. Which is a shame, because beautiful, richly colored carrots are a taste treat. Add a bourbon spiked, cane syrup sweet glaze and the humble carrot becomes a stellar addition to your plate.
I see these rainbow colored trimmed carrots more frequently, and they certainly up the wow factor, but regular orange trimmed carrots work beautifully. You can also peel plain carrots and cut them on the bias into evenly sized chunks. Whichever you use, make sure they are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
Cane Syrup and Bourbon Glazed Carrots
12 ounces trimmed carrots
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon cane syrup (or maple syrup)
1 Tablespoon bourbon
½ cup water
Salt
Choose a medium sized skillet, and cut a round of parchment paper to fit inside as a cover. Cut a small hole of slit in the center of the parchment to vent steam.
Melt the butter in the skillet, then add the carrots and gently stir to coat. Add the cane syrup and bourbon and stir again. Pour in the water, bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the carrots with the parchment round, pressing it down around the edges of the pan. Cook until the carrots are tender, removing the paper once to stir the carrots, then replacing it. This should take 15 minutes or so, depending on the size of your carrots.
When the carrots are tender, remove the paper and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is evaporated leaving a shiny glaze on the carrots. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.
Serves 4
Leave a Reply