Name: Sweet Heat Garlic Butter Carrots
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lbs rainbow carrots; 4 tbsp salted butter; 4 large garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 small shaollot, minced (about 2 tbsp); 2 tbsp hot pepper jelly; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1/4 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp white wine vinegar (or sherry or champagne vinegar); up to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

Hey ya’ll! It’s another Thanksgiving recipe for ya’ll to make sure you can enjoy the holiday just as much with the food, even if your gathering will be more intimate this year. In our house, it will be a party of 3 (possibly 4) and I have made a compromise with my mom that I can make a lot of dishes as normal, but only if I reduce the portion sizes. The recipe for these carrots falls right in line with that, even though you can easily double or triple or halve the recipe to accommodate for any party size. They also feature a brand I love, Jenkins Jellies, that I’ve used before with my lamb crostini recipe. This time I’m jumping into another one of their spicy jellies to create a spicy, fruity sauce that plays so well with the other flavors. I’m so excited to share this with you, let’s get into the inspo!

THE INSPIRATION

For this year’s collection of holiday recipes, I really wanted to bring some unsung heroes to the table. I have done another glazed carrot recipe in the past that’s perfect for the holidays as well with nuts and a sweet & spicy glaze. But for this, I really wanted to amp up the flavor on the carrots with a bold sauce and beautiful display. These carrots are cut bigger and have a strong garlic flavor that shines through the spices in the pepper jelly. In general, I guess you could say I was inspired by the pepper jelly itself because while it’s spicy, it’s got great fruity flavor that compliments anything you put it on, it’s not spicy just for the sake of being spicy! Ok, now the details.

The Hell Fire pepper jelly is so great. A blend of peppers, spices and sugar make it a flavorful punch for the carrots!

THE DEETS

Ok, I already told you about the flavors, but the details of this recipe is what really makes it special. Technically, you can make this a one pan skillet if you have a wide skillet with the capability to go from stovetop to oven. However, I like to make this a two pan dish because laying the carrots on a sheet tray with the sauce allows you to get deeply caramelized carrots with a sauce that’s reduced to be a great glaze with toasty flavor! Also, the garlic in these carrots is very prominent, but that’s the point. If you’re not a big garlic person, you can reduce the garlic, but honestly, I wouldn’t! As the garlic cooks in the sauce, it gets roasted, so it’s not an abrasive, raw garlic taste in your mouth, rather a sliky deep roasted garlic flavor that is phenomenal. Lastly, you can use regular old orange carrots, but for a stunning piece to your Thanksgiving or holiday table, the rainbow carrots add such a gorgeous piece of decor that’s edible! Let’s get on to the tips before jumping into the recipe!

TIPS FOR MAKING

This dish is so easy, there’s not too many tips to include, but as always, here are a few for you!

If you make the dish and find that the dish is not spicy enough for you, add crushed chili flakes or cayenne. Adding more jelly will throw off the sauce and may take too long to thicken and over cook your carrots.
If you decide to cook this in one pan, rather than transferring to a baking sheet, make sure there’s enough room between the carrots to be able to roast and not steam.
If making ahead, the best way to reheat is on 400 with the carrots and sauce in a dish just large enough to hold them wrapped in foil for 10-15 mins or until hot. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to add some crispy texture back into the carrots.

That’s it ya’ll. Add these STUNNING carrots to your holiday table to get some heat, some sweet and a whole lot of deliciousness! Thanks everyone for checking out my holiday collection so far! Here’s to the post Thanksgiving content that is coming to you soon!

Don’t forget to tag me in your photos online @lizeeangel or using #lizeeangel. And as always, comment below and please, like, share and follow me on youtube, instagram, twitter, facebook and pinterest!

Vegetarian, Spicy, Carrots, Vegan, Holiday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Vegetarian

Thanksgiving Sides, Vegetable Sides, Holiday Dishes

American

Yield: 4

Author: Nik Manning

Sweet Heat Garlic Butter Carrots

Beautiful, tender carrots bring delicious, garlicky sweet heat that’s sure to become a table staple for every holiday meal. These carrots are finished in about an hour and can be made ahead of dinner and simply reheated for time and oven space saving convenience.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Ingredients

2 lbs rainbow carrots
4 tbsp salted butter
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 small shaollot, minced (about 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp hot pepper jelly
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp white wine vinegar (or sherry or champagne vinegar)
up to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place rack in center of the oven.
Peel carrots and cut off tops. Cut the carrots evenly in to 3 or 4 pieces, depending on the size of the carrot. Set aside.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add shallots and cook for 2 minutes or until they begin to soften.
Add pepper jelly and vinegar and whisk into the butter mixture until smooth. Next add garlic and salt and thyme. Taste and adjust for seasoning and if needed, add additional chili flakes.
Add carrots and toss to coat. Cook for another minute, then transfer onto a baking sheet.
Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until sauce is thickened and carrots are fork tender with a little firmness in the center.
Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes:

If making ahead, reheat by covering dish with foil and cooking on 400 for 10-15 mins or until carrots are hot and sauce is simmering. Uncover for the last 3-5 mins of cooking.