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RECIPE
Braised Carrots
This recipe is adapted from Mallman On Fire, (Artisen, 2014), one of my favorite cookbooks from last year. Save the greens for Carrot Top Pesto (below).
Serves 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds young carrots, trimmed, leaving a bit of the green, washed
3 cups vegetable or meat stock (homemade is always best)
1 cup dry white wine
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled 4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Extra virgin olive oil for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
2. If some carrots are thicker than others, then halve them so
they will cook evenly. Lay them in a single layer in a small roasting pan. Add the stock, wine, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns and sprinkle with salt to taste. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the carrots are very tender. Transfer the carrots to a serving dish and keep warm.
3. With the back of a fork crush the garlic and thyme into the cooking liquid. Set the roasting pan over medium heat for a minute or two, stirring to concentrate the flavor; adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and strain.
4. Spoon the liquid over the carrots, drizzle with oil and serve.
RECIPE
carrot jam
This recipe is adapted from Putting Food By. I’ve altered the flavorings to make the jam less spicy. Carrot jam is wonderful with cheeses and great on a mozzarella sandwich. I macerate the carrots overnight in the fridge, which helps shorten the cooking time, though you don’t have to. Save the greens for Carrot Top Pesto (below).
Makes 2 half-pints
INGREDIENTS
1 pound carrots, coarsely grated (about 21⁄2 cups) 11⁄2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
One 3-inch cinnamon stick 8 whole cloves
1⁄2 cup water
Pinch of grated nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
1. In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan, stir together the carrots, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Tie up the whole spices in a piece of cheesecloth and add to
the carrots. (You can put the spices in loose, but you will need to fish them out before canning, so if you do, count those cloves!) Cover and let rest in the fridge to macerate overnight.
2. The next day, add the water and nutmeg to the carrot mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil the jam, stirring often to prevent scorching, until the syrup has mostly evaporated and is thickened and orange, and the carrots are glossy, 20 to 30 minutes. If you boil the carrots too long they will become gluey. It’s not the end of the world. Go ahead and process them, but loosen them up a bit with some warm water before serving.
3. Have ready 2 clean half-pint jars and bands, and new lids that have been simmered in hot water to soften
the rubberizedflange. Remove the spices, then pour the carrot mixture into the jars leaving 1⁄4 inch of headroom. Wipe the rims, place on the lids, and screw on the bands fingertip tight.
4. Process the jars in a water bath for 10 minutes at sea level. Process the jars for an additional 1 minute for every 1,000 feet altitude. Remove from the water, let the jars rest for 24 hours, and then check the seals. Store in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
30 Harvest 2015
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