Sauteed Carrots with Mint and Shallots

Like most local newspapers, each week ours (The San Jose Mercury News) publishes a food and wine section. If I am not too bleary-eyed that morning to read the paper (it takes me a while for all my juices to get flowing in the morning), I like to scan the recipes. They generally include ideas for in-season produce or menus for approaching holidays. This week The Merc highlighted the Passover meal, and some of the dietary requirements and procedural rules of the seder. One of the recipes caught my eye: sauteed carrots with mint and shallots. Carrots are among the few vegetables that everyone in my family will eat willingly without me having to beg, wheedle or bribe. And, I've been looking for ways to cook them that don't involve brown sugar, syrup, or molasses. So, I tried it last night. The family's universal response: yum!


I followed the recipe as published by The Merc almost to a tee. The one addition I made was to toss a little fleur de sel on the carrots at the very end. I love the way this salt brightens up the flavors of vegetables and added a nice counterpoint to the sweet of the mint and the carrots.

Sauteed Carrots with Mint and Shallots
courtesy of The San Jose Mercury News, April 16, 2008
from Ronnie Fein's Hip Kosher, Da Capo Lifelong Books
serves 4

8 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices on the diagonal
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

-- In medium saucepan, bring several inches of lightly salted water to simmer
-- Add the carrots, return to simmer and cook until carrots are tender but firm, about 5 minutes
-- Drain carrots under cold water and set aside
-- Place olive oil in large skillet over medium heat
-- Add shallots and saute 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly softened
-- Add garlic and saute briefly
-- Add carrots, mint, salt and pepper. Saute about 2 minutes, or until carrots are hot and slightly crispy on surface.