Sweet Carrot Memories

People are constantly asking me for recipes, suggestions and advice on how to prepare this or that. And I love to inspire them (and hopefully, you, too) to get in the kitchen in cook, so I happily share information, resources and recipes.

Recently, a fellow blogger friend who moved from San Antonio to California, asked me to share a food memory and recipe with her to feature in her new food blog, Fab Bites. After watching the Saturday afternoon PBS cooking shows, carrots were on my mind for a few reasons.

One, carrots are in abundance at the farmers market which always makes them top of mind and the varieties this year are stunning! Have you ever seen or eaten a rainbow carrot? What about purple haze?

Two, Martha Stewart had featured brown sugared carrots on her Cooking School show and they reminded me of how my maternal grandmother, Annie, used to make honeyed carrots for me.

Three, I love carrots! Raw, sauteed, roasted, pureed, steamed or braised--carrots add a touch of sweetness to any dish.

For my guest blog post on Fab Bites, I wrote the story of how my maternal grandmother, Annie, taught me to cook and always prepared nutritious and delicious meals for me. One of my favorite things was honeyed carrots. I loved going to her house and, on the way over, wondering "What did she make for me today?" She loved to cook and eat real food. And, like me, she was also a dessert fiend.

As I sit here and think about those sweet memories, I'd give anything to have just one more with her. One more talk. One more meal. One more hug.

Since I can't have that and I do have a beautiful bunch of purple haze carrots waiting for some love, I decided to make my own version of honeyed carrots. In her honor. And I think she'd like that.

Buen provecho!

Honeyed Carrots
The Cowgirl Gourmet

Print recipe

Just a little bit of honey in these carrots brings out their sweetness in a spectacular way. Add a dab of butter or coconut spread for a perfect balance in sweet and savory that deliciously coats the carrots.

Serves 2

1 bunch (about 5-6 carrots) organic carrots with the tops on (choose regular carrots, rainbow or purple haze)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon Earth Balance organic coconut spread or butter
1 Tablespoon raw honey, preferably local
1/4 cup of the tops of the carrots, chopped, for garnish

Remove the greens of the carrots and reserve a handful (about 1/4 cup) for the garnish and give them a fine chop.

Wash, peel the carrots and cut the ends off. Cut them in half--horizontally and vertically--so each carrot becomes four long pieces. (If the bottom of the carrot is thin, leave it whole.)

In a saucepan, add the carrots and cover with water. Add a dash of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Begin checking them after they have boiled for 5 minutes. Using a fork or knife, test the carrots softness. You don't want them soft, but you don't want them hard. As soon as a fork or knife can easily pierce the carrot, turn off the heat and set aside.

Drain the carrots so all the water is removed. Place the pan back on the cooktop over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon each of coconut spread (or butter) and honey.

Stir well to combine and let simmer for 3 minutes or so. Taste the carrots now and adjust seasoning if needed.

Turn off the heat and serve. When you plate the carrots, try and configure them as they were before cutting and sprinkle some carrot top greens where the greens would be. Top with just a little more salt and pepper and dig in!