Buttery Dill Carrots Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you get the most flavor out of carrots? ›

Carrots are naturally sweet, cutting them doesn't affect the flavor. If you want them even sweeter, roasting is a good option. Toss them with some oil, and something sweet- maple syrup, orange juice or even a little honey.

Cooking instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan, then add the carrots and parsnips and toss to coat in the oil. Add the thyme, cinnamon, star anise and some seasoning. Cook over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes, turning the vegetables frequently, until golden brown and almost cooked through.

Place them in a steamer, sprinkle with a little salt and steam for about 7 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a skewer but still retaining some firmness and bite. Serve plain, or I like them tossed in butter mixed with some chopped fresh tarragon leaves.

Or, to bring out their fresh, woody flavor, add some anise. If you're roasting your carrots, toss them in olive oil first. This will help keep the moisture in them. To bring out the sweetness in your carrots, season them with orange or lemon juice or a little brown sugar and butter.

Carrots are a unique vegetable because they seem to have a taste which battles sweetness and harshness. The sweetness of carrots comes from the presence of multiple sugars such as glucose, fructose and sucrose.

No matter which way you cook them, carrots are a healthy choice. Steaming is a slightly better pick since the carrots don't lose as many of their nutrients to the water. (Steaming is also more environmentally friendly since it uses less water.)

You don't want to soak them, you want to cook them. The prep and method of cooking will determine how long it will take to soften the carrots. Quickest: slice and boil in salted water; done in a few minutes. Best tasting: clean carrots, toss in oil and a little bit of salt.

The healthiest way to cook carrots is by steaming or baking them. Steaming carrots helps retain most of their nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber, while also preserving their natural flavor and color.

As the vegetables are not boiled, they don't lose the essential nutrients. Steaming also keeps the vegetables crisp and bright. In short, if you want to preserve the color, taste, and nutrients of the vegetables, you need to steam them instead of boiling them.

Is boiling or steaming carrots faster? ›

Steaming carrots on the stove top using a steamer basket is just as speedy as boiling carrots. This method also helps the carrots retain their nutrients and bright color. Place a steamer basket ($23, Target) in a saucepan. Add water to just below the bottom of the basket.

In a Frying Pan

Frying pans (like this cast-iron workhorse) heat up quickly and can be used to cook an endless variety of ingredients for mouthwatering dishes—even steamed carrots. Here's how: Rinse and prep your carrots. Add about 1 inch of water—just enough to create steam—to a large frying pan with a fitted lid.

Don't overcook the carrots: Boil them until they're just tender. They lose their amazing crunch if you overcook them. Add salt to the boiling water: (Not-so) secret tip: season your carrots with salt while they're cooking to really up your flavor game.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Make sure you have enough water so the carrots are completely submerged. Add sliced carrots to the pot of water and bring the water back to a boil. Boil sliced carrots for 4-5 minutes, baby carrots for 6-7 minutes, and whole carrots for 10-15 minutes.

There are a few possibilities for why your carrots aren't as sweet as they should be. You are right to think about your soil--a crop of carrots can deplete a soil of nutrients. Be sure to rotate crops in your garden, rather than planting carrots in the same place year after year.

Carrots maturing under warm temperatures or high moisture conditions lack good root color. These carrots also have poor flavor and texture. Plant carrots so they mature under relatively cool temperatures that average less than 80 degrees F. Avoid excessive soil moisture.

Instead of simply tossing carrots in the vegetable drawer, take a few minutes to cut off the greens and submerge the carrots in water. You'll be rewarded with carrots that stay crisp for weeks, not days.

Steaming carrots on the stove top using a steamer basket is just as speedy as boiling carrots. This method also helps the carrots retain their nutrients and bright color.