Sauteed Carrots

According to Ina Garten in Barefoot Contessa: Family Style, "These sauteed carrots are the essence of 'carrot-ness.'" Truly they are.

I've never been a big fan of cooked carrots. They've either been simmered to an overly soft consistency, or they've had so much sugar added to them that they resemble sweet potatoes. They're fine in stews or soups, but on their own? Not so much (although I've since discovered them stir-fried with balsamic... heaven!). 

These carrots are wonderful. They are just barely cooked with a small amount of water so that they don't lose all of their flavor, and then tossed in salt, herbs, and butter. They stand on their own, but don't take over.

If you are serving them to kids, you just might want to set aside some to make them without the "green stuff."

Sauteed Carrots

Barely adapted from Barefoot Contessa: Family Style. (Beautiful book with wonderful recipes)
Six servings.

Ingredients

2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/4 inch slices, approximately 6 cups of carrot slices. Carrots can be peeled and sliced a day in advance. 

1/3 C water

2 T unsalted butter

1 1/2 T chopped fresh parsley or dill

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Place the carrots and the water into a 12 inch saute pan and bring to a boil.
2. Cover and cook for 8 minutes over low heat.
3. Uncover, add the butter, bring the heat to medium low, and saute for about a minute, until the water is evaporated.
4. Turn off the heat and add in the herbs, salt, and pepper, and toss. 

I kept these warm in a warming oven for about 30 minutes while putting the finishing touches on the rest of the dinner and the dish did not suffer. The leftovers were equally as good the next day. If you want to try making them in advance, wait to add the herbs until after you reheat them so that the herbs are fresh and green. 

This is going to be my "go-to" carrot recipe. Loved them.