Glazed Rainbow Carrots with Dill

Let’s talk side dishes, shall we?  I know what you’re thinking…vegetables.  Yes, you’re right.  We all know that we’re supposed to have a nice combination of five fruits and vegetables each day.  We also know that it’s not always so easy to work these five servings into the course of three meals (although I am personally campaigning to include the Bloody Mary among this group, what with the tomato juice and celery and all).  Largely vegetables come in green or white.  Dull.  And, also largely, children tend to flee from them in packs.  So the best way to perk up the plate, and your family, is with lots of taste and bursts of color.

I’ve tried for years to grow carrots, with rather sorry results.  My interest was in growing the heirloom variety with multiple colors.  While I can’t seem to manage to do it, Melissa’s Produce can.  I love these colorful carrots!  They are so pretty and deliciously sweet, and look how beautiful they'll be on your table.  Honestly, who could resist these?

I really have no particular recipe, but for the sake of carrot virgins, will jot one below.  My experience is that even non-carrot lovers will quite enjoy these.

Glazed Rainbow Carrots with Dill

1 lb. Melissa’s Rainbow Crunch carrots, cleaned, peeled, and 

cut into ¼” coins

1 tablespoon butter

¼ cup dark brown sugar

1 Tablespoon apricot preserves

Pinch of Kosher salt

Pinch of curry powder (optional)

Pinch of turmeric (optional)

Snippings of fresh dill (or dried, if you must)

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a full boil.  Drop carrots in all at once and return pan to boil.  Cook for 4-7 minutes until just fork tender, and by this I mean barely fork tender as they will continue to cook after draining and you don’t want them to turn to mush; better to err on the crunchy side.  (The cooking time varies with the size of your carrots, so do test them – I use the tines of a pickle fork).  Empty into colander to drain thoroughly; set aside.  In same saucepan in which you cooked the carrots (and that should still be warm) place butter, and melt it over low heat.  Stir in apricot preserves and brown sugar until everything is well blended.  Add carrots all at once and fold together until carrots are glazed.  Throw in a pinch of salt and, if your family likes the taste of curry, a pinch of curry powder gives these a lot of zing, ditto for the turmeric, but I’ll leave both up to you (though do keep in mind that Turmeric is one of the super foods and this is a great way to slip it by your family with no one the wiser).

For more vegetable inspiration, I highly recommend this book:

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