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Thumbelina Carrots with Orange and Mint

Many recipes that pair carrots with orange call for cooking the carrots with orange juice. Here, I use strips of peel instead, so that you get just a hint of orange, keeping the flavors bright. In the restaurants, we use Thumbelina carrots, a cute, round variety with incredible sweetness. Don’t go crazy chopping the mint—you don’t want to turn it into paste. Just do a few quick strokes with the knife, toss with the carrots, and serve right away. You might want to caution your guests not to eat the orange peel.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound Thumbelina carrots, peeled and trimmed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 orange
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Depending on the size of the carrots, cut them in half or quarter them to maintain evenly sized pieces. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the carrots. Toss until the carrots are well browned and caramelized. You want them to get good color without burning. Season with salt and pepper.

    Step 2

    With a vegetable peeler, cut 4 large swaths of peel from the orange. Add to the carrots and toss for a minute more. Roughly chop the mint leaves and add to the pan. Toss and serve immediately.

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