Pomegranate Glazed Carrots
Sometimes you want to take things up a notch!
You want to put a little extra time and love into some special dishes that are sure to get "oohs" and "aahs" at your table.
If this is what you are looking to do, I suggest you start by simmering down some pomegranate juice into a thick molasses-type sauce.
Then make it into a honey, orange zest, and vinegar dressing that will coat your perfectly roasted carrots in a glaze of goodness.
And finally take the time to top those glistening, sticky sweet carrots with pecans, a touch of yogurt, pomegranate seeds, and parsley...
In the end you will be rewarded with a side dish that definitely takes things to the next level--offering all the flavors of a home-cooked meal, but with enough elegance for a sophisticated restaurant service.
Pomegranate Glazed Carrots
servings: 2 -3 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pomegranate juice (see note below)
- ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons honey
- 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- Zest of ¼ orange
- 1 pound baby carrots
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley leaves
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a small sauce pot, bring the pomegranate juice and sugar to a simmer. Continue to simmer this mixture until it has reduced to a molasses-like consistency—about 30 minutes. You should have about 2 tablespoons of this thickened pomegranate juice.
- Transfer the pomegranate mixture to a medium bowl, then whisk in the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the honey, Dijon, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the orange zest.
- Add the carrots to a baking sheet, tossing them with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Roast them in the oven until they are tender and nicely browned on the outside—about 30 minutes.
- Remove the carrots from the oven and toss them with the pomegranate vinaigrette, then return them to the oven for 5 minutes more.
- After removing the carrots from the oven, serve by drizzling them with the yogurt, then sprinkling with the pecans, pomegranate seeds, and parsley.
Notes:
- You will want to use 100% pomegranate juice, not pomegranate juice mixed with other juices, or with added sugar. If you can't find pure pomegranate juice, you can use a blend, but your glaze will be significantly sweeter; adding a little extra vinegar may balance it out.
