From the earth to the table

There is nothing more satisfying than to see and taste just picked produce end up on the table in another form, more delicious than the original ingredient itself. At the market, I bought bunches of golden carrots of different varieties from various vendors, each bunch had its own distinct taste and color. One was light and earthy, tasting of minerals. The other was dark in color, harder texture at the core, and rich and full of flavor. I love that we no longer are supposed to peel carrots {to retain the vitamins}. One less task in the kitchen and much more flavor in the dish. If the skin is young and tender, you would never even notice. After my hunger would no longer wait for me to make up my mind about what to create with these delicious delicacies, I settled on creating a dish that was simple and soothing and, best of all, easy to make!

I made a carrot puree with green garlic and fresh chicken stock {I always have a lot of this staple on hand in the pantry}.
You could also add more stock and eat it as a lowfat savory soup! Either way, it makes the mundane pantry staple a feast.

Carrot Puree
3 Tbsp. sweet cream butter
3 heads green garlic bulbs with stems, washed and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. cracked black pepper
2-3 bunces carrots cut into 1/4 inch rounds, about 2 cups chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup white wine

In saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat until melted. Add the garlic, salt and pepper to the pan and saute until soft, but not browned. Add the carrots, stock and wine and bring to a low boil. Simmer, covered, over med low heat until carrots are very tender, almost breaking apart {about 30-40 minutes}. Pour into a food processor and puree until smooth.
Taste for seasoning {will most likely need a pinch of salt}.
Add the remaining butter and process just until melted.
Keep warm until ready to serve. Garnish with chopped garlic chives.
Serve warm as a side dish with roasted rosemary chicken or add 2 cup broth and 1 cup cream to make a quick, savory soup.

Buon appetito!

copyright 2007 Alisa Barry