"Carrots are an unappreciated standby. We tend to use them for everything but rarely highlight them. This dish brings out their sparkle." Lydia Bastianich
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds carrots (we’re growing Bolero, Nelson, Napoli and SugarSnax this year)
1 ½ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
¼ cup pine nuts*
¼ cup golden raisins*
¼ teaspoon salt
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons finely shredded fresh mint leaves*
Directions:
- Peel
and trim the carrots, and cut them into 3 inch lengths. Slice these lengthwise into wedges, all about
1/3 inch thick.
- Pour 3
½ cups water and the vinegar into a 3 or 4 quart saucepan, and set over
high heat. Stir in the honey. When the water’s boiling, drop in the
carrot wedges and cook, uncovered, at a good bubbling boil for 23 minutes,
until cooked through but with some texture to the bite. Don’t let them get mushy.
- Meanwhile,
toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing them
frequently until light gold; spill them onto a plate to cool.
- When
the carrots are cooked, lift them out of the pan with a spider; let them
cool and drain in a colander. Keep
the carrot-cooking liquid at the boil, and drop in the raisins; poach for
about 5 minutes until plump, then lift them out and let them cool and
drain.
- Boil
the vinegar liquid vigorously now to reduce quickly – it will take 5
minutes or more – until only ¼ cup or so of thick syrup remains in the
pan. Lower the heat as the liquid
level nears the pan bottom, and pour it into a cup or small bowl before it
burns.
- Put
the carrots in a mixing bowl, and toss with 2 tablespoons of the syrup and
several pinches of salt. Let them
marinate briefly. Before serving,
toss the carrots with a tablespoon of olive oil, the pine nuts, the
raisins, and the shredded mint leaves.
Taste, and season with more salt if needed; if you want more
dressing, add more oil or any remaining syrup. Arrange on a serving platter, or portion
on salad plates.
* - I doubled up on the amounts of pine nuts, raisins and mint and liked the results
From: Lidia Bastianich's
Lidia's Family Table
