The multicolored baby carrots available in late spring in eye-catching reds, whites, purples and yes, even traditional orange, are the perfect size, super-sweet and impossible to pass by. These are not the machine-cut and prepackaged ones! If baby carrots aren’t available, you’re sure to love this recipe even if you use regular carrots cut into sticks or rounds.
1 pound baby carrots
Sea salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon tahini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Wash carrots and trim leafy greens, leaving about ½ inch of their stems. Fill large sauté pan with 1 inch of water and bring to boil. Stir in generous pinch of salt and place carrots side by side in water. Cook until just soft and water is nearly evaporated (about 6 minutes, depending on size of carrots). Remove from heat, drain remaining water and set aside. In small pan over medium heat, whisk together maple syrup, mustard, tahini and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and remove from heat. Return carrots in skillet to medium heat and add maple mustard dressing. Sauté 1-2 minutes to coat carrots and heat through. Dressing will thicken slightly. Remove from heat and serve. Serves 4.
VARIATION
Slice your carrots into rings and mix with sliced parsnip. For an even bigger change, substitute grated fresh horseradish root for the tahini.
Reprinted with permission from CLEAN START(c) by Terry Walters, Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing CO., Inc. Photography by Gentl & Hyers. terrywalters.net
Terry Walters is the author of three best-selling cookbooks, CLEAN FOOD,
CLEAN START, and her latest EAT CLEAN, LIVE WELL. She is a James Beard Foundation Award finalist and recipient of the Nautilus Gold and Silver Book Awards. terrywalters.net
