I am very happy to share some lovely news with you; I have a new cookbook coming out this October, and it’s titled “The Flavor Equation: The Science of Great Cooking”.
Over the next few days, I’m going to share behind-the-scenes footage on Instagram and show you what went into making the book; I will also share some of the different cover choices we toyed around with, and reveal the cover for the first time exclusively via my newsletter on Monday, April 27th, 2020. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can do so here.
In this book, I get into every aspect of flavor that make up, what I refer to as The Flavor Equation. There will be a lot of science and cooking as we explore what flavor is made up of.
Today’s quick recipe is one for roasted carrots. It’s a quick side dish I make during the week and when I have guests over. I use young carrots, which are not as wide as their adult counterparts, so if you swap carrots, watch out for the cooking time and expect to add a few minutes to your roasting time.
Print
roasted carrots with garlic and lime
Simply put, a carrot is a plant storage unit loaded with starch as an energy bank. Usually, an enzyme called amylase present inside the cells of the carrot chop up the starch to release fuel for the plant to grow (a reason why a raw carrot will eventually start to taste sweeter over time). When the carrot is roasted, the starch breaks down and releases sweet-tasting sugar molecules. The sauce is quite simple; I like the taste of raw garlic, so I don’t cook garlic with carrots. Instead, I dress the hot carrots with the flavored oil as soon as they come out of the oven, the heat helps release the aroma molecules from the garlic and lime zest, and their fragrance bumps up. The fish sauce brings the umami game. If you don’t consume fish sauce, there are vegan versions available that you can try.
- Yield: 2
Ingredients
8 oz/230 g baby carrots
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil , divided
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
zest of 1 lime
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp red pepper flakes such as Aleppo, Maras, or Urfa
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F/220C.
- Slice the carrots across their length. Toss the carrots with 1 Tbsp of the oil and season lightly with salt. Spread the carrots out in a medium roasting pan or a baking sheet in a single layer and roast in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, till the tips turn crispy, and they turn golden brown with a few charred spots. The carrots should be tender in the middle; a knife should be able to pierce through the center easily.
- While the carrots, cook and prepare the sauce. Mix the garlic, lime juice, zest, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, and black pepper in a small bowl. Taste and season with salt as needed. Pour the sauce over the roasted carrots as soon as they come out of the oven, and drizzle to coat well. Serve hot or warm as a side.
One Response