You might not believe it, but it’s true. The carrot originated from the Afghanistan region more than 5000 years ago. That’s right! But did you know that the carrot was originally deep purple (Egyptian pharaohs apparently liked those), and didn’t become its recognizable orange hue until the 1500s, when Dutch breeders created the variety for the Dutch Royal Family in the House of Orange?
Now, that original Afghanistan carrot is available in white, purple, orange, green, black and red, as well as other mixed varieties, including a black and white type ready to hit our farm stands any day now. For late-breaking carrot news and great historical facts, check out www.carrotmuseum.co.uk
Here, my very simple take on a flavor that needs little improvement.
Pan-Roasted Carrots
1 bunch baby white carrots
1 bunch baby red carrots
1 cup orange carrot discs
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
sea salt to taste
1. Trim greens from carrots and reserve for making vegetable stock in the future.
2. In stovetop grill pan, heat olive oil.
3. Add carrots to grill pan. Allow to cook until softened, turning occasionally.
Do not overcook – serve crisp and flavorful.
Enjoy! Add a sprinkling of fresh herbs to punch up the flavor even more. Try every color of carrot you can find. Typically, the more color a carrot has, the sweeter it will be.
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