By The Bryants arrived in Tulsa Tuesday evening for the small ten-day visit. Brayden is one hundred and fifty-two weeks old. Eden is ten weeks old. Brayden’s third birthday is next Wednesday September 28 (wait — September 28 is in five weeks; the actual third birthday is September 28; this week is August 26 in the calendar; Brayden’s third birthday is a small five-weeks out, not next week; the small calendar-confusion is part of the small late-summer fog-and-newborn-postpartum tiredness).
The maple glazed carrots are the family-tradition carrot recipe in its small late-summer maple-leaning variation. Whole baby-carrots, simmered in butter, maple-syrup, salt, finished with fresh thyme and a small splash of apple-cider-vinegar. The dish is the small variation on the herb-buttered carrots that have been on every family-table since the off-parole Sunday in March 2022.
The technique on a glazed-carrot side is the reduction. The simmering liquid needs to reduce to a small syrup that coats the carrots. The fix is the standard reduce-the-liquid-until-it-coats-the-back-of-a-spoon approach.
Sunday I made the carrots as a side for the family dinner with the Bryants in their small first-night at the apartment. Carol had two helpings. Dustin’s dad had two. Dustin had three. Brayden had a small portion. Eden was in the bouncer.
The technique-detail I always lean on: the small intentional-pause between steps. Stir, pause, taste, then continue. The small pauses are the small mid-recipe quality-control. The small home-cook who pauses is the small home-cook whose dishes come out at the small reliable-level. The small pauses are how the small kitchen-rhythm holds across years.
Mama’s Wednesday-evening call was the small mid-week anchor. The cafe’s small operational-state continues to be small steady. Cody runs the small lunch-and-dinner rotation. Aaron, Beatriz, and Patricia (the small new staff hired for the expansion) have integrated well. The small cafe-second-decade has its small functional shape.
Maple Glazed Carrots
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds (or use baby carrots halved lengthwise)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (optional, for serving)
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- Boil the carrots. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sliced carrots and cook for 6–8 minutes, until just barely fork-tender but not soft. You want them to hold their shape. Drain and set aside.
- Build the glaze. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once foaming subsides, stir in the maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Let the mixture bubble gently for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened.
- Glaze the carrots. Add the drained carrots to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly in the glaze. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until the glaze has reduced and clings to the carrots with a glossy finish. The edges should just begin to caramelize.
- Finish and serve. Transfer to a serving dish. Scatter fresh thyme leaves over the top if using, and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately, or hold covered in a warm oven (200°F) for up to 30 minutes before the feast.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 110 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 17g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 180mg