Carrots with Pomegranate Glaze

A variation on a theme, where carrots get cooked in some water and then a glaze is made of the cooking liquid. Pomegranates are in season right now, and if you see a white pomegranate, the seeds would look lovely in this dish and would add a nice textural and flavor “pop” to the whole.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch Chantenay (or other type) carrots, stemmed and cleaned, cut into ½-inch x 3-inch wedges, most of the tough core cut away

1½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses

1 tablespoon honey, or as needed

Water, just enough to barely cover the carrots

Salt and pepper to taste

1-2 tablespoons butter

2-3 tablespoons untoasted pine nuts or toasted and lightly salted pistachios

¼ cup unpacked mint or cilantro leaves, sliced –optional

METHOD:

Bring a 2½ quart chef’s pan or sauteuse with the water in it to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and add the carrots.

Cook 5-10 minutes, until the carrots are cooked through, but still have some tooth to them. When you bite a piece, you should still meet a little resistance rather than just biting right through or even have the carrot be soft. Use a slotted spoon or a spider and remove carrots to another container, rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly.

Add the pomegranate molasses to the water and stir in. Add 1 tablespoon of honey and stir in. Taste the water. There should be the flavor of pomegranate, with a sweet/tart balance at the same time. It will concentrate as the water reduces in volume. Adjust the flavors with more molasses or honey to strike a balance.

Place pan over high heat and reduce the pan liquid to 2 tablespoons or until the stuff on the bottom of the pan thickens and becomes a little syrupy itself. Add the butter and melt it. Allow to color golden brown a little and then add the carrots. Toss and stir carefully to coat the carrots without breaking them. Once well coated, taste for seasoning. If needed, hit with a little salt and pepper. Toss with the nuts and herb of choice, and serve.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen