Psst! Want to know how to get your kids to eat their carrots?
Glaze ‘em.
Glazing is a process that will turn the humble orange root into a side dish that will have your family munching carrots like a bunch of bunnies.
The technique can be done in a single pan, and only takes about 20 minutes. The results are carrots bathed in a sweet glaze of liquid that might just make this side the star of the meal.
You can make this recipe a family affair by having the kids or your spouse peel the skins off the carrots, and as a bonus, you’ll even learn how to make a reduction sauce in the process. I’ve only got one word to describe the whole thing: Sweet!
Glorious Glazed Carrots
(Makes about 4 servings)
- 2 pounds of carrots (about 15), skinned and chopped
- 14-ounce can of low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Garnish: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
- Music for while you cook. Tonight it’s the B-sides of U2‘s Best of 1990-2000.
Step 1: Gather your ingredients and peel and chop the carrots, going from the pointy end to the wider one. You don’t need perfect cuts, but you do want the pieces to be of a similar size so they cook at an even rate. I usually end up nibbling on the thin tips. Consider them an eye-saving appetizer.
Step 2: When the carrots are cut, dump them and everything else (except the garnish — that’s for the end) into a big pan that’s at least 10 inches wide and has a lid. If you have nonstick, use it. Even out the carrots, turn the heat to high, and bring the whole mixture to a simmer (when small bubbles come to the surface of the liquid). This should take about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Once simmering, give everything a stir, put a lid on the pan, turn the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes. This is called pan-steaming. Sounds fancy, yes? Wait — it gets even better.
Step 4: Carefully remove the lid away from you so the steam escapes, crank the heat to high, and cook about 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. You are now making a reduction sauce. Sweet, indeed. (Tip: Save yourself some cleanup and use a splatter screen at this stage.)
Step 5: As the liquid boils it will reduce, leaving you with a lovely syrup that puts the glaze in glazed carrots. Dump everything into a bowl, mix well, sprinkle with the chopped parsley, and prepare to eat your veggies in a very delicious way.
Did you try this recipe? Write about your experience, ask questions or share advice in the comments area below.
Source: iwanttocook.com (defunct blog)
