*These Sauteed Carrots with Feta, Mint, & Chives are a fresh and easy to prepare side dish that make the most of early spring herbs!
There are days of the week (mainly Sunday) where the contents of my fridge become a little scarce. Grocery shopping day is Monday and 6 days of meals and snacks have taken a toll on the refrigerator and severely depleted its contents.
It’s a situation we all can relate to, no?
When I do my weekly market run, I usually grab a few bundles of vegetables that I haven’t worked into the menu.
Why?
Because I know that come Saturday or Sunday I’ll have used most of what I’ve bought for meals and it always makes me happy to discover that I have a gorgeous bunch of beets, artichokes, or in this case, Rainbow Carrots, that aren’t scheduled to make an appearance in a meal – they are mine to do with whatever I like.
My favorite way to prepare carrots is to give them a good scrub, but not peel them. I love their natural texture, beautiful in it’s rusticity, and can’t bear to peel that away.
Then they are sliced in half, lengthwise, and placed in a saute pan with olive oil and water. I cover them, then cook them on medium/high heat so that first, they steam, then the lid is removed when the water has evaporated and the carrots are left to saute in the olive oil that is left in the pan. This way the carrots become nice and tender but also develop a golden, caramel color from sauteing, which brings out so much flavor and sweetness.
You really could stop right there and just eat the carrots as is (mind that you add a little salt and pepper), but in the spirit of Spring, I tossed freshly picked chives from my garden over the top, along with torn mint leaves and a handful of crumbled feta for a tart contrast amidst the sweetly savory carrots. Chili flakes add just the tiniest bit of heat, though you can omit them without altering the dish much. Go with your preference.
More Simple Sides:
Insalata Caprese with Balsamic Reduction
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 pound Rainbow Carrots, cut in half lengthwise
- Sea Salt
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Pinch of Red Chili Flakes
- ¼ cup Water
- ¼ cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Mint, torn
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Chives, roughly chopped
- Drizzle the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the carrots, season with salt and pepper, red chili flakes, and pour the water into the pan. Cover with a lid and heat on medium/high. Let the carrots steam. Once the water has all evaporated, remove the lid and saute the carrots in the oil until they are golden brown on all sides.
- Place the carrots on a serving platter. Sprinkle the feta cheese, torn mint, and chives over the top of the carrots. Add a little more salt and pepper, if desired.
- Serve immediately!
I made this today and it turned out very out very good! I normally stick carrots in the oven but they can end up a little hard so the steaming helped.