Carote al latte (Braised Carrots in Milk)

Franksides/contorno20 Comments

Braised Carrots in Milk

Braised carrots in milk are fine side dish for roasted or braised meats, and they’re a snap to make. Just combine baby carrots, milk, butter and seasonings and let them simmer together until the carrots are tender and the milk is fully absorbed. The milk brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots. The whole thing requires no real attention, takes only a few minutes—depending on the carrots—and can be made ahead and reheated whenever you need it. That’s everything I want in a side dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6 as a side dish

  • 500g (1 lb) carrots, preferably ‘babies’ (see Notes)
  • A cupful of milk
  • A large nut of butter
  • A generous pinch of salt
  • A good scraping on nutmeg

Optional:

 Directions

Trim off the tops and tips of the carrots, wash them meticulously, then—depending on how tough their skins are—either peel or rub their skins. If using larger carrots, slice them into rounds.

Place the carrots in a braiser with the rest of the ingredients. If you are using larger, older carrots, add a pinch of caster sugar as well.

Simmer the carrots over moderate heat (the milk should bubble gently) until the carrots are perfectly tender and the milk has been complete absorbed. The milk will have turned into little flecks, which is perfectly normal. If you like, add some finely chopped fresh parsley to your braised carrots for color.

Notes

The choice of carrots is, of course, the key to this dish. If you can find baby carrots at your local farmer’s market, as I did yesterday, you’re in for a treat. Otherwise, look for slender, young carrots, with their tops still on, which are likely to have fine, sweet, delicate and intensely carrot-y taste. These carrots don’t need peeling, just trim the tops and tips and rub them with a towel to remove any filaments and stray grit.

If you’re dealing with standard supermarket carrots—the rather fat kind with thickish skins that come sold in large bags—then trim and peel them, then slice them rather thinly. As these carrots don’t tend to be very sweet, adding a pinch of sugar helps. And actually, this treatment is a good way to bring out the best in these carrots.

A richer alternative recipe for these braised carrots calls for thickening the milk with flour and butter before  adding the carrots, basically turning the milk into a béchamel sauce, and nice alternative if you want to use your carrots to accompany a simply roasted meat. With this variation, you can even enrich it further by mixing in some grated parmesan or fontina just before serving.

Print Recipe

Carote al latte (Carrots Braised in Milk)

Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 500 g 1 lb carrots, preferably 'babies' (see Notes)
  • A cupful of milk
  • A large nut of butter
  • A generous pinch of salt
  • A good scraping on nutmeg
  • Optional:
  • A pinch of caster sugar
  • Finely chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Trim off the tops and tips of the carrots, wash them meticulously, then—depending on how tough their skins are—either peel or rub their skins. If using larger carrots, slice them into rounds.
  • Place the carrots in a braiser with the rest of the ingredients. If you are using larger, older carrots, add a pinch of caster sugar as well.
  • Simmer the carrots over moderate heat (the milk should bubble gently) until the carrots are perfectly tender and the milk has been complete absorbed. The milk will have turned into little flecks, which is perfectly normal. If you like, add some finely chopped fresh parsley to your braised carrots for color.

Discover more from Memorie di Angelina

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

And you might also like...

CastagnoleCastagnole FricoFrico Cavolfiore alla CavourCavolfiore alla Cavour (Cauliflower à la Cavour) Arrosto di maiale con cipollineArrosto di maiale con cipolline (Roast Pork with Pearl Onions) Polpette di sedano (Celery Balls)Polpette di sedano (Tuscan Celery Balls) Carbonade valdostanaCarbonade valdostana Pesto di cavolo neroPesto di cavolo nero (Tuscan Kale Pesto) Watermelon Pudding (Gelo di melone)Gelo di melone (Sicilian Watermelon Pudding) FranduraFrandura di Montalto (Ligurian Potato Pie) Zucchine a fiammifero (Zucchini Matchsticks)

20 Comments on “Carote al latte (Braised Carrots in Milk)”

  2. Reply

    I love carrots and am always looking for new ways to prepare them. Love this! (And I think I have figured out how to comment on WordPress sites, yay!)

  4. Reply

    Hello, Sir !
    I did it, I aet it and I’m in love with this way to cook these carrots. Excellent taste, easy to cook , so great as a view on a plate and a specific and complete flavor gave by nutmeg .
    I would like to say THANK YOU for this recipe, for Tiramisu recipe and for many , many others.
    Thank you Angelina also. Respect for her memory and God bless you, Sir !
    Merry Christmas !

  6. Reply

    Like other commenters, I have never seen carrots cooked this way. But they look and sound easy to make and delicious, so I am certain to give this a try.

  10. Reply

    Frank, this is a brand new method to me, and it sounds wonderful. This one is on my “to do” list. Thanks, and Marry Christmas!

We'd love to hear your questions and thoughts! And if you tried the recipe, we'd love to hear how it went!