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Sense & Edibility's Rainbow Carrots in Tarragon Brown Butter

Rainbow Carrots in Tarragon Brown Butter Sauce

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: North American
Keyword: butter, carrots, tarragon
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 75kcal
Author: Marta Rivera
This quick and easy dish is the perfect accompaniment for your holiday meals. 
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) vegetable oil for greasing the pan
  • 2 pounds (908 grams) rainbow carrots peeled and trimmed or baby carrots
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup or 113 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons (4 grams) tarragon de-stemmed and minced, plus more to garnish
  • 1 teaspoon (5 grams) kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon (1) black pepper

Instructions

Prepare and Roast the Rainbow Carrots

  • Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C).
    Lightly grease a half sheet pan with the vegetable oil using a pastry brush or a folded paper towel. Set the pan aside.  
  • Use your chef's knife to cut the carrots into 1/2-inch thick slices. If you're using baby carrots, cut only the carrots that are larger than 1-inch.
    Place the carrot slices onto the sheet pan- in a single layer without crowding the pan- and roast them for 25-35 minutes, in the preheated oven, or until they are fork-tender and slightly charred.

Make the Tarragon Brown Butter Sauce

  • While the carrots are roasting, prepare the brown butter: in a 4-quart saucepan, over low heat, slowly melt the butter, stirring constantly. 
  • The butter solids (the white flecks on the bottom of your pan) will begin to take on a golden brown color as the butter heats.
    After 3-4 minutes, those butter solids will take on a peanut butter color. Remove the pan from the heat. 
  • Quickly toss in the minced tarragon and allow the heat from the butter to gently fry the herbs.

Coat the Rainbow Carrots in the Tarragon Brown Butter Sauce

  • Once the carrots have fully roasted, remove the pan from the oven. 
    Pour the tarragon brown butter over them and use a spoon to toss the two together thoroughly. 
  • Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the carrots to season them, then garnish the carrots with the remaining tarragon.
    Serve the carrots straight-away while still hot. 

Notes

Tips/Swaps/Substitutes:

  • If you can't locate rainbow carrots, orange carrots may be substituted.  
  • Replace the tarragon with fresh sage, thyme, or rosemary. 
  • Don't to rush the browning of the butter. It's not recommended to brown the butter ahead of time as reheating it (to melt it) may cause the butter solids to burn.
    If you must make it slightly ahead of time (and the butter solidifies), don't melt it before tossing into the carrots. Let the residual heat from the carrots melt the butter when you toss the two together. 
  • When making the brown butter, if you accidentally overcook the butter to a very dark brown, throw it away and begin again, or the end result will taste acrid.

Storage/Freezing/Reheating Instructions: 

  • Storage Instructions:
    • Transfer leftover carrots to a food storage container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. 
    • To reheat leftovers, just heat them in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. 
  • Freezing Instructions:
    • Allow the carrots to cool to room temperature and transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
    • Freeze the carrots for 3 months.
    • Thaw the carrots under refrigeration and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. 

Nutrition

Calories: 75kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 425mg | Potassium: 601mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 25421IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 2mg