Carrots From Julia...

I fall into deep, passionate romances with books.  When I find a book I love, I not only read it every possible moment but I live it, I breathe it, I download it on my iPhone and iPad, buy the collector’s edition copy and occasionally fall asleep with it safely in my grasp.  Literary love.  It's a thing, get into it.

cookbook

One romance from which I shall never recover is that of the classic masterpiece written by none other than the magnificent Julia Child herself.  Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  I get chills when I turn the cover.  Pages formed of butter and red wine ink - there is nothing which compares to this bible of culinary knowledge.  I own a LOT of cook books, I love many of them but, I utterly adore Julia's book.

carrots

Before you imagine me into one of the many brave foodist who have cooked their way through the entire collection of French recipes, I am not among them.  One day I'd like to be, but right now I'm just stuck on one of the 524 recipes.

Butter braised carrots.

 

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Carrots have tried hard to grab the attention of the culinary world.   In all their vibrant beauty, they have made a good effort to achieve recognition but they could still use a little help.  It's time for the humble root vegetable to break up with the ranch dip and come over to butter-braised Utopia - it's a good place.

carrots

I have to confess that a recipe for butter braised anything has my anticipation but I had grossly underestimated the magnitude of heavenliness I was tapping into when I chose to attempt this recipe.  I liked carrots, but after tasting these, I love carrots.  I crave them more than I crave chocolate.  That's a lot.  

Julia, you know I love you.  Thank you for bringing buttery vegetation into my life.

 

 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

 

Butter Braised Carrots

recipe adapted from Masting the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

serves 4 

-1 1/2 lbs carrots (peeled, sliced and quartered)

  • 1 tablespoon sugar 
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • pinch of freshly ground pepper

In a heavy bottomed saucepan combine carrots, water, sugar, salt, pepper, and butter.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and boil slowly for 20-30 minutes or until carrots are tender and all the liquid has evaporated.  Enjoy!