So I found myself with an overabundance of carrots following the holiday season. I bought a bagful and only used a couple of them for a soup that I was making. Then, my youngest daughter and her family came up from Atlanta and were not returning for a couple of weeks, so she brought foods from her refrigerator, which included a big bag of carrots. So what do you do with 4 pounds of carrots?
I went looking online for ideas because there are only so many charcuterie boards and dips you can make with all carrots. I made beef stew with one bag, but then I had that other bag. So I caramelized them by roasting them with some garlic powder and olive oil, salt and pepper, then tossed them in a beautiful sauce of browned butter and honey. Everything’s better with a little butter, and in this case, that culinary mantra that I live by was spot on.
The honey butter added a sweet taste that marries beautifully with the savory taste of garlic carrots.
This is the kind of side dish that you can serve with virtually any protein. I’m now making them when I have blackened salmon, and they go equally well with smoked chicken off the grill. By cutting them on an angle, then roasting them cut side down, the carrots achieve a crispy edge so they make a more helpful side dish to burgers rather than fries.
Savory Brown Butter Carrots
1 1/2 pounds whole carrots, peeled as desired
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Brown butter drizzle:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons honey
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, ensuring a rack is in the center position. If desired, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up. Set aside.
Slice the carrots on a bias into 1/2-inch-thick, oval-shaped rounds and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with garlic powder, 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt, and ground black pepper, to taste. Toss to combine well. For maximum caramelization, arrange the carrots so that the flat sides are facing down, and each piece has enough room to breathe.
Roast the carrots: Transfer the sheet pan to the oven. Roast 25-30 minutes, flipping the carrots halfway through. The carrots are ready when they’re golden brown and tender with deeply caramelized edges.
Prepare the brown butter honey drizzle: With about 5-10 minutes of roasting time left, prepare the brown butter drizzle. In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey. Drizzle over roasted carrots and serve right away.
SEARCHING FOR CRAWFISH
Interestingly, I got an email from Fulton Fish Market that reported the top online seafood searches in all 50 states, and crawfish ranked top in eight states, with Tennessee at one. That surprised me since crawfish isn’t readily available in all markets. Yes, you can find it in restaurants like Champy’s — sometimes, possibly. But the last time I went looking for it at Food City, there was none to be found. Same goes for Walmart, and I haven’t tried Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods or Publix yet since they’re not on my regular routes.
Do you agree with Fulton Fish Market? What’s your No. 1 seafood search? Mine’s probably shrimp, followed by scallops, then salmon. Let me know. It might be interesting to see how we compare to others in the state.
Contact features writer Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.