When I am doing a big Sunday roast and serving a mountain of vegetables I like to liven them up a little. Perhaps not all of them, because baby green beans in their natural state can be superb when accompanying a roast, but certainly carrots – sometimes I feel they need a little something extra.
And hence this recipe – one that I make every now and then for those big dinners and just to make things a little different when I am giving my daughters their daily carrot intake.
Carrots are one of the few vegetables that do not lose most of their vitamins (Beta Carotene which converts to Vitamin A) when cooked, in fact a cooked carrot will allow you to absorb more of this vitamin that a raw carrot. To top it all off, they are high in dietry fibre and an excellent source of folate.
If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, imagine what an apple and a carrot will do!
Ingredients
3 bunches (approx 500 grams/1 pound) baby carrots, trimmed & scrubbed
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon butter
a pinch of sea salt
Place carrots in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Cover and bring to the boil. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Drain and place into a bowl of ice cold water for 5 minutes. Drain again and set aside.
Meanwhile, place sesame seeds in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly toasted – remove and set aside. Place butter and honey into a large skillet and stir until melted, add carrots and saute until they start to slightly colour (around 4 – 5 minutes), place onto a serving platter, sprinkle on a pinch of sea salt and scatter with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
© 2011, Michelle. All rights reserved.
