BRAISED CARROTS, RED ONIONS & BELL PEPPERS WITH GINGER, LIME & CILANTRO Recipe

4

Ingredients

3/4 lb. fresh young carrots, preferable with the tops on
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tsp. freshly grated lime zest
1 Tsp. light brown sugar
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
Kosher salt
4 oz. yellow bell pepper (about 1 small, cored and seeded),cut lengthwise into 1/2 - inch strips
4 oz. red onion (about 1 small), cut into 1/2 - inch wide strips
1 piece fresh ginger, 2x3/4 inches, cut into thin matchsticks (a scant 1/4 cup)
1/2 small fresh jalapeno, cored but not seeded, cut crosswise into slices about 1/4 inch thick
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbs. homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Step 1

Trim the tops and tails from the carrots and peel them; you should have about 8oz. trimmed carrots. Cut them in half crosswise and then cut the thicker end in half lengthwise to get pieces of about the same width, no more than 3/4 inch (the length can vary). In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, lime zest, and brown sugar; set aside.

Heat 1 Tbs. of olive oil and 2 Tsp. of the butter in a 10-inch straight-sided saute pan over medium-high heat. When the milk solids in the butter are just beginning to turn a nutty brown, add the carrots and 1/4 Tsp. salt. Toss well with tongs and then arrange the carrots in one layer. Cook without stirring until the bottoms are nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Toss and turn over, and cook for another 2 minutes to lightly brown another side. Transfer the carrots to a plate with tongs.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil in the pan. Add the bell pepper, red onion, and a pinch of salt and saute until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger and jalapeno, toss, and saute for another minute. Return the carrots to the pan, stir, and pour in the chicken broth. Immediately cover the pan and simmer until the liquid is almost completely reduced, about 2 minutes. Uncover the pan, remove it from the heat, and add the lime juice mixture, the remaining 1 Tsp. butter, and the cilantro. Toss to combine well, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a heatproof spatula or a wooden spoon. Serve right away as individual servings or pour and scrape the contents of the pan onto a small platter and serve family-style.