The Thanksgiving buzz is in full swing! It starts when cooking magazines arrive at my house with photos of gleaming turkeys and perfectly plated sides. For the years that I hosted the Thanksgiving feast, my preparations typically started in October. I would make and freeze turkey stock, bake breads and make ice cream. Although I’m not hosting this year, I miss the menu planning and holiday hustle.
This is a beautiful carrot dish that takes no advanced planning and is easy to make with regular and/or rainbow carrots. The natural sweetness of carrots makes them a perfect vegetable for roasting. I roast the carrots with olive oil, salt and pepper to start, and wait until halfway through the roasting time to drizzle the maple syrup. This way the sugar in the syrup doesn’t burn. I finish the carrots with chopped pistachios and a splash of vinegar.
- 2 pounds fresh carrots trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher or sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
- Splash of sherry vinegar
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. Place the carrots cut side down, in a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss to combine. Place the sheet tray in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Pull out the tray and drizzle the maple syrup over the carrots and finish cooking the carrots until they're tender, another 5-8 minutes. Remove the carrots from the oven and sprinkle the pistachios over the carrots. Add a splash of vinegar and serve.