This was the side-dish to tonight’s entree of Lemon-Spiced Chicken from The Newlywed’s Cookbook (click the link for that recipe). I was probably a little too excited to try another Julia Child recipe but after successfully making her Coq Au Vin recipe a few days ago I knew I had to make more. I actually used post-its to mark all the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking that I wanted to try and thought I could handle making and these creamed carrots was one of them.

Carrots boiling in cream ©EverydayCookingAdventures 2012

It wasn’t difficult it just took monitoring to make sure things didn’t boil too much.  Keeping a “slow boil” is actually somewhat difficult! Is that a fast simmer? Hmm. Anyways, I halved the recipe to make enough carrots only for the two of us. The carrots as they started to absorb the cream in part two below, started to look so good I could barely wait to put them on a plate. The smells coming out of that saucepan were heavenly! I was in love at first bite. This was decadent tasting and the carrots just melted in my mouth. Little orange pieces of heaven. What a great meal! I’ve got my entertaining menu ready to go now. Here are my carrots:

Julia Child Creamy Carrots©EverydayCookingAdventures 2012

Carrots Braised in Butter Carottes Étuvées au Beurre

from Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled and quartered or sliced (about 5 1/2 cups)
1 TB granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 TB butter
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of pepper

Instructions
1. Combine carrots, sugar, water, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil.
2. Cover and boil slowly for 30-40 minutes or until the carrots are tender and most of the water has evaporated. Correct the seasoning.

You could simply stop there and serve the carrots warm or you can continue on like I did to make this variation #2 on the basic recipe from the cookbook:

Creamed Carrots: Carottes a la Creme

from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 to 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• the carrots previously braised in butter(recipe above)
• salt and pepper
• 2 TBSP softened butter
• 2 TBSP minced parsley, chive, and chervil or parsley only

Instructions
1. Prepare carrots as in above recipe for Carrots Braised in Butter.
2. Bring the cream to a boil in a saucepan and pour in enough to cover the carrots.
3. Boil slowly, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cream has been almost entirely absorbed by the carrots. Correct seasoning.
4. Just before serving and off heat, gently toss the butter and herbs into the carrots. Turn into a hot vegetable dish.