Carrots are a delicious, nutritious vegetable rich in beneficial properties. For example, they promote weight loss, reduce cholesterol and improve eyesight, as they are high in vitamin A. Carrots can be eaten both raw and cooked, and cooking them is super easy. In particular, boiled carrots prepare quickly and are incredibly tasty.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Carrots
Step 1. Choose the carrots
Carrots are generally sold in bunches, loose or in plastic bags, with or without leaves. Those with leaves are generally more expensive, so try to select the freshest ones available.
- Choose carrots that have a vivid orange color. Over time the pigment fades, so the pale ones are most likely the oldest.
- Discard the carrots with the wilted leaves as they reveal they are not fresh.
- If the carrots have a lot of cracks and are covered with small white roots or shoots, they are old.
Step 2. Wash the carrots
Scrub them with a vegetable brush under cold running water. Make sure you get rid of any dirt.
Step 3. Peel the carrots (optional)
If you remove the outermost layer with the vegetable peeler, they will have a more tender texture, but they will lose some of the taste and nutrients. If you prefer to avoid peeling them, make sure they are perfectly clean.
Step 4. Cut the carrots
If they still have the leaves, it's time to remove them with the knife. At this point you can decide whether to boil the carrots whole or in pieces.
- If you cut the carrots into small pieces, they will cook faster. If you are in a hurry, it is best to cut them into very small, even pieces so that they all cook at the same time.
- Keep in mind that the loss of taste and nutrients is proportional to the surface exposed to the cooking water. If you cut carrots into small pieces, the surface exposed to water will be greater, as will the loss of taste and nutrients. If you cook them whole, they will have a more intense flavor and higher nutrient content.
Part 2 of 3: Cook the Carrots
Step 1. Bring the water to a boil
Put enough water in the pot to cover the carrots. Do not use more water than you really need to minimize the loss of nutrients.
If you want, you can add salt to the cooking water to increase the boiling point. This way the carrots will cook faster and have more flavor
Step 2. Cook the carrots
When the water boils, put the carrots in the pot and cover it with the lid.
Step 3. Wait for the carrots to reach the consistency of your choice
The cooking time varies based on how you cut the carrots and your preferences in terms of texture. Check them after 5-10 minutes and let them cook again if they are still hard, until they are as soft as you like.
Stick a carrot with your fork. If you can skewer it easily, it means it's cooked
Step 4. Drain the carrots in the sink
You can pour them into a colander or you can press the lid on the pot to hold the carrots and drain the boiling water from a small slit.
Wear oven mitts to protect your hands from hot water and steam
Part 3 of 3: Serve the Boiled Carrots
Step 1. Serve the carrots still hot
Carrots taste best if you eat them freshly cooked.
If you do not intend to eat them quickly, instead of boiling them it is better to blanch them (i.e. cook them only for 2-3 minutes in boiling water) and then immediately put them to cool in water and ice. After a couple of minutes, drain them from the water, dry them, put them in a food bag and store them in the freezer until ready to use. This process is to keep the texture of the carrots unchanged when you defrost them
Step 2. Cut the carrots into smaller pieces
If you have cooked them whole or cut into large pieces, you can chop them, cut them into cubes or julienne, depending on how you intend to serve them.
- You can also cut them into sticks of the length you prefer.
- After you have cut them into sticks, you can also make them into cubes, possibly evenly sized.
- If you want to cut them into julienne strips, cook them whole and then trim them on one side to create a flat surface so that they stay on the cutting board as you cut them. At this point, slice them lengthwise. Place the flat side on the cutting board and cut into slices about 2-3 mm thick. When finished, layer the carrot slices and slice them again to make thin, even sticks about the size of a match.
Step 3. Season the carrots with the herbs and spices
You can make them even tastier by seasoning them with salt, pepper, garlic or any flavorings you prefer.
- Thyme and parsley go very well with carrots.
- You can choose from an almost infinite range of options. Experiment with different flavors, for example try using tarragon.
Step 4. Add the liquid toppings
Use a suitable fat and acidic ingredient to season carrots to make them even tastier and prevent them from being too dry. You can dress them with extra virgin olive oil or, if you prefer, with a knob of butter while they are still hot.
Try dressing them with balsamic vinegar. The acidity of the vinegar highlights the sweetness of the carrots
Step 5. Top off the dish with a few drops of icing
Thanks to its sweet and intense taste you will be able to persuade even the most fussy diners to eat carrots.
- Making the icing is super easy. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the sugar and a pinch of salt, then stir until they are completely dissolved. Add the carrots and let them cook for 5 minutes.
- Experiment by making the glaze with different ingredients. You can replace sugar with honey and use herbs, spices and flavorings, such as ginger and citrus peel.
Advice
- Store carrots appropriately until you are ready to cook them. If you don't cook carrots immediately after buying them, put them in a bag and store them in the refrigerator to prevent them from losing their taste and crunchiness.
- If you intend to store carrots, it is better to remove the leaves, otherwise they will extract moisture from the roots (i.e. from the carrots) which will therefore deteriorate more quickly.
