Carrot excitement!

A couple of nights ago, my friend Rhonda and I opened a gchat window to each other at the exact same time to ask two different questions. We were confused when the other was already there and saying something that didn't answer the question...but that's what happens when you're on "invisible" status most of the time. After the confusion, she explained that she wanted a recipe carrots and fresh ginger. Something that would go well with mashed potatoes (and broccoli, apparently, from the photos...).

So I thought for a minute and decided the best way might be to roast those babies and make a ginger sauce to accompany them. I described what I meant, Rhonda made a few alterations as she went about it, and the following is the combined recipe from our experiment.

Ingredients needed:
bunch-o-carrots, quartered
1/4-1/2 c diced onion
2 T fresh ginger, grated
3 1/2 T brown sugar
1 T or so chopped or minced garlic
olive oil
dash soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Quarter carrots, chop up onion and garlic. Put carrots, about half of the onion and a bit of the garlic in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, toss a little salt and pep on it. Set the veg mixture in a roasting pan (lined with foil if you don't like a messy pan), cover the top with foil, place in oven for 20 min.

After 20 minutes in the oven, take the foil off the carrots, sprinkle with a little b. sug, and put back in for another 20 min. Taking the foil off will allow the carrots to get all nice and crispy golden, and the sugar will caramelize on top!

While that's finishing up...in a pan, throw together the ginger, rest of the onion and garlic, the brown sugar, a tsp or so olive oil and a couple dashes soy sauce. Allow to simmer for a while and cook down to a nice sauce-y consistency. Add a bit more oil if it's too thick. Taste for personal salty/sweet preference.

When the carrots are done the should be fork tender. Let them cool a bit, then drizzle the sauce over the top and serve! Rhonda used them as a side with mashed potatoes and broccoli, but I think they quickly became the star of the meal. Would be a great vegetarian main course.

Photos from the meal dubbed "YOM."



pictures by Rhonda Turnbough

Two nice quotes about this meal:
"The roasted carrots are FUGGEDABOUTIT" (text received shortly after meal)
"This recipe should be patented" (Rhonda's grandmother, Dot)

I think this would also go great with some basmati rice and chicken masala, or next to a delicious burger, or on top of a mixed greens salad with some crumbled gorgonzola. Lots of possibilities. I do believe I'll be making this recipe myself this weekend.