Clementine Carrots
Clementine carrots are one of those side dishes that completely steals the show at the table. We came up with this one because we wanted something that felt a bit special without loads of effort, and the combo of sweet clementine and tender carrots just works so well. You get this lovely glossy, citrusy coating that makes the carrots taste bright and zingy rather than just, well, carrots. It's the kind of thing you make once and then find yourself putting on every roast dinner from that point on. Honestly, get these on the table tonight and watch them disappear.
Before You Start
- Colander
- Deep saucepan
- Frying pan
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp plant-based butter
- Pinch of salt
- 300g tendersweet carrots
- 2 clementines
Method
Prepare the carrots
- Wash and trim the leaves off your carrots
- Put the carrots in colander.
- Sprinkle a generous pinch of salt into a deep saucepan, half fill with boiling water from the kettle, place on the stove over a high heat
- Put the colander on top of the pan
Steam the carrots
- Put the pan on the stove over a high heat, bring the water to the boil, steam the carrots for 5 minutes, then drain and set them to one side
Dress the carrots
- Warm the plant-based butter in a pan over a low heat
- Put the carrots in the pan and fry, turning constantly, for 5 minutes
- Squeeze the clementine juice into the pan, catching any pips with your other hand
- Continue stirring the carrots for a further 4-5 minutes until they’re cooked through and serve immediately
Tips & Variations
- Get the best carrots you can: We find this works really well with smaller heritage or rainbow carrots if you can get them. They look stunning and cook more evenly than big chunky ones.
- Zest before you juice: Trust us on this one, zest your clementines before cutting them in half. It takes two seconds and adds so much more flavour to the finished glaze.
- Make it your own: Henry always adds a tiny pinch of chilli flakes to his to give it a little kick. It sounds odd but it's really good, the heat against the sweet citrus is brilliant.
Why This Works
The trick here is steaming the carrots first so they stay vibrant and slightly firm before they go into the pan with the clementine. That way they pick up all that citrusy glaze without going mushy. The clementine brings a natural sweetness that lifts the whole dish and makes it taste way more impressive than the effort involved.