Red Beets and Rainbow Carrots Sauté

This dish makes for an earthy and sweet mélange that is colorful as well. You could blanch the carrots a day before and the beets are roasted and can be done days ahead, so this is good do-ahead party dish. If you don’t mind the beets coloring the carrots, you could even sauté them all at once in the same pan.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch red beets, roasted, use white balsamic vinegar and cut into ½ to ¾ inch pieces (see recipe for Roasted Beets on site) and add 1 bay leaf and 3 fresh thyme sprigs to the packet

1 pound Rainbow carrots, trimmed and well-scrubbed, oblique cut into ¾ inch pieces

¼ cup white wine such as sauvignon blanc, verdelho, or grenache blanc

2 garlic cloves, split lengthwise, separated 1 and 1

1 small pinch powdered true cinnamon

½ teaspoon fresh thyme, minced + 2 sprigs

5 peppercorns

Salt and pepper as needed

½ tablespoon butter

Grapeseed, or light flavored olive, oil as needed

METHOD:

Cook the beets as in the Basic beets recipe, adding thyme and bay to the cooking packet. Cut to size and drizzle with white balsamic vinegar. If cooking ahead of time, remove from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking and toss with just enough oil to coat. If cooking a lá minute, toss in just enough oil to coat when vinegar is absorbed. Keep nearby at the ready.

Heat a pot of water with enough water to cover the carrots by 1 inch. Add the 2 sprigs of thyme, 5 peppercorns, a pinch of salt, and 1 split clove garlic. Bring to a boil, then add the wine. Boil 1 minute and add the carrots, lower the heat to a simmer and cook carrots until just tender all the way through, 10-15 minutes. Drain and remove the herbs and spices and transfer to a non-reactive bowl. Drizzle with just enough oil to coat and reserve close to hand. If cooking the carrots ahead of time, do not oil, allow to cool, and refrigerate closely covered. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour ahead of cooking dinner with them.

While the carrots simmer, heat a 10 inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. When it is very hot, film with oil. (If using pre-cooked carrots, toss in a bowl with just enough oil to film them all over.) Season carrots with salt and pepper. When oil is getting hot, add the last split clove of garlic and cook, turning the garlic, until it is golden brown all over. Add the butter to the pan next to the garlic. As soon as the garlic starts to turn dark brown or smell like it’s burning, remove immediately. Add the cinnamon and thyme to the butter/oil mix and swirl the pan to amalgamate. Add the carrots to the pan and toss to coat with the oil/butter mix. Sauté undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, then toss. The idea is to get the cut surfaces to brown without burning. Once the carrots are golden all over transfer to a warmed-up serving dish and cover to keep hot. Add a little oil to film the pan if needed. When the pan is hot add the beets and toss to coat. Sauté to brown the cut surfaces of the beets. When the beets take on color and are hot throughout, make a well in the center of the beets, add the carrots and let them heat up. Toss just enough to mix the vegetables, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen