Sweet Bourbon Roasted Carrots

This Thanksgiving, take your roasted carrots up a culinary notch with this flavor-packed recipe from Jeff Mattia, chef/partner of Pyre Provisions in Covington, Louisiana.

There are not many things that smell better than sugar and bourbon simmering away on the stove. It’s a comforting, mouth-watering, appetite provoking aroma that will draw people from all of the nooks and crannies of your house into the kitchen to find out what’s cooking.

How to make Sweet Bourbon Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

For the carrots:

• 3 bunches of baby carrots, trimmed of stems and cut in ½ lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons chopped tarragon
• 6 tablespoons bourbon simple syrup
• 3 each cubes of cold butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the bourbon simple syrup:

• 1 cup Buffalo Trace Bourbon or any good bourbon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Make the bourbon simple syrup: In a sauce pot, add the bourbon. Light on fire with a lighter and allow the alcohol to burn off, about 5-8 minutes. Add the water and sugar, bring to a boil and reduce by ½ or until a honey consistency. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
2. In a large cast iron pan (you can use a large skillet, if cast iron is not available), add your oil to the pan, bring to temperature over a medium heat.
3. Add the carrots and sear lightly, caramelizing them in the pan. This will take about 5 minutes.
4. With a spatula, remove the carrots and discard the oil.
5. Return the carrots to the pan and add the simple syrup and allow it to glaze the carrots, add the butter and turn off the heat, stir the butter in until it is incorporated, about 2-3 minutes or until the butter is melted and evenly distributed. Add the chopped tarragon.
6. Serve on your favorite plate and spoon the sauce over the carrots.

Note: Any brand of bourbon whiskey you happen to have lying around will do the job (well, hello Jim Beam) . If you’re not a bourbon drinker, pick up a few of those mini airline size bottles stocked at liquor stores. It’s less expensive and you won’t be left with bourbon that you won’t drink.