Charred Carrots with Orange and Balsamic

I have to find ways to use up all the carrots from the recent CSA deliveries. Ina Garten’s recipe of charred carrots with orange and balsamic is exactly what I’m looking for. A lot of carrots, although they are not the rainbow carrots that Ina has in mind, half an orange and aged balsamic vinegar are all you’d need. That’s less-than five ingredients, making it a quick side dish for Thanksgiving and everyday.

What’s your favorite way to cook carrots? To me, that’s between roasting and steaming, depending on what else I’m serving. Charring carrots on the broiler is an infrequently used methodology in my kitchen, but I can be convinced. You fire up the broiler, then put the sheet pan (I use a cast-iron pan) of seasoned carrots under the broiler for about 10 minutes. Done!

The best part about broiling is the charred marks on the carrots, the smoky flavor — and it’s quick. The downside is, it’s hard to get all the carrots evenly cooked. I prefer my carrots soft; these are too crunchy for me. Perhaps, I’d get better results with small and skinny farm-fresh carrots.

Here is another idea. If texture is the issue, try broiling broccoli instead of root vegetables. I know broccoli takes to charring especially well. Comparing to carrots, the tips of the florets char at different rate than the dense part of the stem. The end result is layers of crispy and juicy textures.

So the bottom line is: charred vegetables work. Charred broccoli provides a tender and more appealing texture than carrots. If you prefer a softer texture, there is no getting around it than parboiling the vegetables ahead of time.

Print Recipe

Charred Carrots with Orange and Balsamic

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds rainbow carrots, scrubbed (about 8 large or 15 medium carrots)
• 3 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ orange, zested and juiced
• 1 tablespoon syrupy, aged balsamic vinegar
• Fleur de sel or sea salt

Instructions

1

Position an oven rack 4 inches away from the broiler and heat the broiler.

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.

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.

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.

Notes

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021645-charred-carrots-with-orange-and-balsamic