Roasting deepens carrots’ earthy sweetness like no other cooking method, but the process monopolizes your oven for at least 45 minutes. I wanted great roasted carrots—with streaks of char, a tender bite, and a concentrated flavor—in less time and on the stove.
To soften them quickly, I needed to steam the carrots first. I selected 1 1/2 pounds of large carrots from the bulk bin, since their thickness would translate into more cut surfaces for browning than skinnier bagged carrots. I cut them crosswise and then lengthwise into even pieces. When I placed the carrots in a nonstick skillet with 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a tablespoon of oil, they didn’t fit in a single layer, but steaming fixed that: After about 8 minutes of covered cooking, the carrots had shrunk enough that, with a shake of the skillet, they settled into an even layer.
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