Recipe Swap - Not-so-Sweet: Carrots still pack flavor

By: By Michael Hastings | JOURNAL FOOD EDITOR
Published: February 18, 2009

A request for glazed carrots that aren't too sweet yielded two interesting recipes.

Linda Diorio sent in a recipe that adds an orange flavor to the recipe. Even though it calls for ½ cup of orange marmalade, the glaze comes out tangy and only slightly sweet, Diorio said.

Beth Brown sent in a very different recipe that she got from Alton Brown, the host of Good Eats on the Food Network. This recipe glazes the carrots with ginger ale and adds a little chili powder for a bit of spicy kick.

Glazed Carrots

Submitted by Linda Diorio.

½ cup water

Salt

1 pound peeled and sliced carrots

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup orange marmalade

Grated zest of 1 orange or lemon, optional

1. Put water and a sprinkling of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, add carrots and cook just until tender, not mushy.

2. Stir in the butter, orange marmalade, and orange or lemon zest, if using.

Glazed Carrots

Recipe submitted by Beth Brown, attributed to Alton Brown and posted at www.foodnetwork.com. Brown said she thinks that this tastes even better with Mexican ginger beer instead of ginger ale.

1 pound carrots (about 7 medium), peeled and cut on the bias ¼-inch thick

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heavy pinch kosher salt

1 cup good-quality ginger ale

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. In a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat, combine the carrots, butter, salt and ginger ale. Cover and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, remove the lid, stir, and reduce the heat to low. Cover again and cook for 5 minutes.

2. Remove the lid, add the chili powder and increase the heat to high. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the ginger ale is reduced to a glaze, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.

Help

□ Recipe Swap is looking for a recipe for old-fashioned chocolate pudding.

□ Susan Wright would like the recipe for the hummus served at the former Rainbow News & Cafe.

■ Send requests or recipes to Recipe Swap, c/o Michael Hastings, Food Editor, Winston-Salem Journal, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102; or e-mail to mhastings@wsjournal.com. Please include name, address and a daytime telephone number. Previously published recipes are available in the Recipe Database at www.journalnow.com/swap.