Charred Carrots With Orange and Balsamic
Ina Garten was one of the people who made roasted whole carrots fashionable for home cooks, back when “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook” — her first — was published in 1999. Brightening up basic dishes with lemon, orange and vinegar became one of her signatures. She shared this recipe from her book “Modern Comfort Food” with The Times for Thanksgiving 2020.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 1 ½pounds rainbow carrots, scrubbed (about 8 large or 15 medium carrots)
- 3tablespoons good-quality olive oil
- 1 ½teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½orange, zested and juiced
- 1tablespoon syrupy, aged balsamic vinegar
- Fleur de sel or sea salt
Instructions
Step 1
Position an oven rack 4 inches away from the broiler and heat the broiler.Step 2
Cut the carrots crosswise into 4-inch lengths. Cut the larger pieces lengthwise in half or quarters so the sticks are roughly 1/2-inch wide.Step 3
Place the carrots on a sheet pan and drizzle them with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss with your hands until coated, then spread the carrots out in an even layer.Step 4
Broil the carrots for about 10 minutes, tossing every few minutes, until they are tender and randomly charred. Top the carrots with the orange zest, orange juice and vinegar, sprinkle with some fleur de sel and toss to coat. Taste for seasonings, then serve warm or at room temperature.