French Side Dish - Lemony Glazed Carrots

Glazed carrots are a classic French side dish served to accompany roast lamb, grilled meats or baked fish. It also makes a scrumptious and refreshing appetizer. The bright color and sweet taste of the dish liven up any meal or gathering. In this easy healthy recipe, adapted from a Columbus Dispatch recipe, glazed carrots are given zest and a tangy flavor wonderfully contrasting with the sweetness and crunch of the carrots. Lemony glazed carrots are made with baby carrots, butter, sugar, his fand lemon juice. For the best flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Making this french side dish is just one of the most compelling and best recipes for lunch or dinner.

You can use true baby carrots, which are immature carrots harvested while they are still babies, or a baby cut carrot that is a mature carrot cut and peeled in the baby style. This is a good recipe to make when carrots are not in season and are not at their sweetest and most tender. With the glaze, the natural sweetness of carrots will come out. Of course, making this dish with sweet and tender carrots is even better as it complements the natural flavor.

Wash the carrots well before use and give the skin a good scrub. If the carrots are fresh and tender, you don’t need to peel the carrots but if you prefer peeling them, use a vegetable peeler and peel as thinly as possible. A lot of the nutrients in the carrots sit right under the skin so you don’t want to peel too deeply. Trim the tops of the carrots or if you are using true baby carrots, leave a bit of leaves for a rustic yet elegant presentation.

Ingredients

2 pounds baby carrots

3 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice, preferably fresh

Preparation Instructions

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until they are crisp-tender, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in sugar and lemon juice.

Add carrots. Cook, stirring gently, about 5 minutes, or until liquid is syrupy. Serve.