C for Carrots

The Carrot is one of the most versatile vegetables we use in our kitchens. It is available not only in orange, but also in red, white, black, purple and yellow.

The carrot is an ingredient that occurs in almost all kitchens and is a key part of many recipes and dishes as an individual item or as part of dishes such as broths,

stocks, stews and so on. Thanks to all different cooking techniques, including also very modern techniques, carrots have been and will always be an important ingredient in our kitchen.

Cooking Techniques: Roasting, frying, glazing, boiling, blanching, steaming, braising, stewing, caramelising (Maillard reaction), puréeing, grating, stir-frying.

Combinations: All animal and fish proteins - fresh or smoked, potatoes in all variations, curry's, celery, parsnips, turnips, leeks, nuts and seeds, garlic, parsley, cumin, caraway, many asian-, oriental- and mediterranean spices and herbs.

One of the easiest, tastiest and also healthiest cooking techniques for carrots is using the Maillard reaction, also known as caramelisation with the natural sugars of the product. But  what is the Maillard reaction? The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar, in other words browning by a temperature above 140°C to create flavor and color. Because carrots have e high content of natural sugars, they are predestined to be cooked this way, and their natural taste gets enriched extremely by this reaction.

How do you caramelize carrots?

Just get some fresh carrots, in whatever color you prefer, and wash them with cold water. Put them into a roasting tray, and drizzle with a little bit of a high quality oil, then preheat the oven to 200°C and when the oven reaches the temperature, put the carrots in the oven for approximately 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the carrot. You can also use a BBQ-grill or smoker, which intensifies the taste even more.

In combination with some fresh herbs, spices or nuts and seeds you can create a very healthy and taste dish, that can be combined with almost all kind of proteins. And with this preparation you will create no food waste what so ever.

Not only carrots, but also many other vegetables can be cooked the same way by caramelising, such as turnips, parsnips, beetroots, cauliflower and so on, just use your imagination and give it a try!

Enjoy!