Grandma’s Thanksgiving carrots, a.k.a carrots with orange and almonds
(Serves 8)
My grandma, Joanne Goldman, has placed these glazed carrots on our Thanksgiving table since before I was born. They’re sticky, fragrant and, accidentally, both vegan and gluten-free. The dish’s accessibility to a scope of dietary restrictions perfectly highlights my grandma’s overall goal: feed as many people as possible.
(For a nut-free version, skip the almonds altogether — the carrots are delicious without them.)
Ingredients:
3 lbs carrots, topped, scrubbed and sliced in half lengthwise (if any carrots are especially large or tough, quarter them lengthwise)
2 cups orange juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
 
2 cups slivered almonds
2 tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
 
Process:
1.     Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2.     Place the carrots in a 9 x 13 baking dish and toss them with olive oil and salt. Pour the orange juice over and around the carrots and roast in the oven until tender, 40-50 minutes.
3.     Meanwhile, make the toasted almonds. Toss the almonds with the maple, salt and black pepper. Place a dry skillet over medium-high heat and add the almonds, stirring occasionally until they smell toasty and fragrant (about 3 minutes). Allow the almonds to cool; they’ll become crunchier as they do.
4.     Serve the glazed carrots warm or room temperature with the almonds scattered over the top.
5.     To note: if you have extra orange juice in the baking dish post-roasting, put it in a saucepan and allow to simmer until reduced by ½, about 3-5 minutes. The carrot-orange syrup makes a nice addition to cocktails, especially with a sprig or two of rosemary.