Vichy Carrots (French Glazed Carrots)
Authentic Vichy carrots (French glazed carrots) based on Escoffier’s method – made lighter and healthier without added sugar. Naturally sweet, glossy and full of flavour, with optional herbs or spices.
Ingredients
- 1 kilo (2lb/ 8-10 carrots) carrots (weight before preparation)
- 30 g (2 tbsp) butter
- 75 ml (3 fl oz/ ¼ cup) water or Vichy St Yorre French mineral water (see NOTES)
- 3 g (¼ tsp) salt fleur de sel or Maldon flakes (if using regular water)
- 3 g (¼ tsp) bicarbonate of soda (if using regular water)
- 3 g (¼ tsp) black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped, to serve
- 1 sprig fresh lemon thyme optional
Instructions
- Peel carrots. If very slim, leave whole, cut in 2 vertically or quarter. Otherwise slice (straight or diagonal) around 1cm/ ⅓ inch. Place in a saucepan or frying pan, barely covered in the cold water.
- Add the salt and bicarbonate of soda (if using regular water), butter and milled black pepper. Add a sprig of thyme, if using.
- Bring very briefly to the boil on high heat, then immediately turn down to simmer on low and cover the pan with a lid to sweat. Leave to cook for about 20 minutes, depending on their size, until the water has nearly evaporated but just a little natural buttery syrup left. They should be tender when pricked with a knife but still have that 'al dente' bite (not mushy).
- Using a spoon, gently turn the carrots around in the glaze and add the chopped fresh parsley to serve.
Notes
Serve: Best served with roast turkey, chicken and pork dishes such as pork in honey sauce and roast pork with cidre.
Water: If using the authentic French Vichy St-Yorre mineral water which is naturally saline with soda and sparkling, omit the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and salt.
Carrots: use the freshest carrots possible for the best flavour. The best to use are sandy or dirty carrots (carottes sables) as they have more flavour. Try mixing the colours with the orange - with red, yellow or white carrots. The same cooking technique works with beets and turnips.
Sugar: in the authentic recipe, Escoffier uses a tablespoon of sugar to glaze the carrots - but it works without. The butter and carrots' natural sweetness intensifies as the liquid reduces (Maillard reaction, now backed by science thanks to Raphaël Haumont).
Variations: straying from authenticity here - but add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, coriander seeds or turmeric at the start of cooking for even more flavour - depending on what you’re serving them with. Also delicious with a squeeze of orange or lemon at the end of cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 70kcal
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