Roasted Carrots
Carrots, like other root vegetables, get wonderfully sweet when roasted. They’re delicious solo, but are terrific when enhanced with herbs and spices, even those with a little kick. Consider the season when choosing your seasoning!- for example: mint and chives in spring, sage in fall.
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine to coat thoroughly:
2 c. carrot slices (I like about ½” diagonal cuts) –or, use ½ lb. very slender, whole carrots
2 tsp. olive or light vegetable oil, or scant 1 Tbsp. melted butter, to your preference
Olive oil offers full-bodied flavor, light vegetable oil pretty much disappears, and butter provides sweet, rich taste. I like olive oil if roasting the carrots plain, or with a savory herb like oregano or thyme. When using “sweet herbs” like mint or basil, I usually choose butter, or a light oil.
Season with lightly with salt.
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet; roast for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned and firm-tender.
If you don’t want them browned, cover with foil; check after 7-8 minutes.
Toss the warm carrots in a bowl with 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh herb of your choice
Parsley (or carrot tops), chives, basil, mint, dill, sage, oregano, thyme are all good. 1 Tbsp. gives a nice sprinkling of flavor- don’t overdo. Substitute with 1 tsp. dried if needed.
On another occasion, try a pinch of a favorite spice as a worthwhile experimentation- we like cinnamon, ginger, (cinnamon, ginger, and maple syrup is always a hit at our house), cumin, curry, coriander, and garlic too.
Optional: drizzle in 2-3 tsp. warm (or room temp) honey or maple syrup along with the herbs.
Recipe created or adapted by Liz Talley, Urban Graze
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