Best Way to Cook Carrots Good Enough to Serve for Dessert!
Maple-Butter Poached CarrotsThese are not just carrots, my friends—they are beautiful carrots! I gently poach them in chicken stock with butter, maple syrup, garlic, fresh thyme, and a touch of nutmeg. The carrots become tender, glossy, and full of flavor without being overly sweet. This recipe is elegant enough for a holiday dinner but simple enough to serve any day of the week. Best of all, you can prepare them in advance and reheat them just before serving. What could be easier?
Recipe Video
Recipe Ingredients
- 2 lb fresh carrots preferablywith the tops attached, peeled — 900 g
- 3 cloves garlic verythinly sliced
- 12-14 whole black peppercorns
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme plus additional thyme for garnish
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter 56g
- 1 tsp koshe rsalt or to taste — 5 g
- 4 cup Chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water enough to barely cover the carrots 950ml
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup 30 ml
- ⅛ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 0.25g
- Additional butter for finishing if desired
Recipe Instructions
- Trim the carrot tops, leaving approximately ½ inch attached for presentation. Peel the carrots and carefully clean around the remaining green stems. If you like, use a paring knife to shape and smooth the ends. This is certainly not necessary, but it makes them look elegant.
- Arrange the carrots in a wide, shallow pan in a single layer. Add the thinly sliced garlic, peppercorns, fresh thyme, butter, salt, maple syrup, and nutmeg.
- Pour in just enough chicken stock to barely cover the carrots. Vegetable stock or water will also work, but the chicken stock gives us another opportunity to add flavor—and you know how I feel about missed opportunities!
- Cover the carrots with a parchment-paper cartouche or a tight-fitting lid. To make a cartouche, fold a square of parchment paper into a narrow triangle, measure it from the center to the edge of your pan, and trim it into a circle. Cut a small hole in the center to allow a little steam to escape.
- Bring the liquid to a very gentle simmer over low heat. Cook until the carrots are tender when pierced with a thin knife, approximately 25 to 40 minutes depending on their size and freshness. I like mine very tender, but cook them to the texture that makes you happy.
- Carefully transfer the carrots to a serving platter. Spoon a little of the flavorful cooking broth over them and finish with additional butter, if desired.
- Garnish with a few fresh thyme leaves. Do not add too much, or your guests will think you are serving thyme with carrots!
Pro-Tips
Chef Jean-Pierre’s Tips
- Fresh carrots with bright, firmly attached tops usually have the best flavor and texture.
- Save the carrot peels for making stock, but leave out the leafy tops because they can give the stock an overly green, vegetal flavor.
- Keep the cooking liquid at a gentle simmer. Boiling aggressively can damage the carrots and cause them to cook unevenly.
- Do not throw away the cooking broth. It is full of flavor and can be used in a soup, sauce, gravy, or another vegetable dish.
- These carrots are perfect for entertaining because they can be prepared in advance.
- Reheat them gently in some of their cooking liquid with a little additional butter.
- Serve them alongside steak, roast chicken, turkey, pork, or lamb.
Equipment - You can find the items below at our online store!
Nutrition
Calories: 208.48kcalCarbohydrates: 25.52gProtein: 5.69gFat: 9.9gSaturated Fat: 5.38gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.79gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.91gTrans Fat: 0.31gCholesterol: 24.87mgSodium: 722.73mgPotassium: 684.06mgFiber: 4.46gSugar: 13.72gVitamin A: 25545.87IUVitamin C: 11.31mgCalcium: 72.17mgIron: 1.02mg