I find cooking carrots as whole as possible brings out more of their sweetness. The lovely caramelisation on the outside makes this humble vegetable an almost meaty experience.
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 6 large carrots, scrubbed but not peeled
• salt and pepper, to season
• 1 tsp honey
• ¼ cup feta
Method
Heat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Heat a large ovenproof frying pan or stovetop-ready roasting pan (big enough to hold all the carrots comfortably) over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil. Add the carrots and fry for about 5 minutes, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Add the thyme, drizzle over the honey and baste the carrots with the butter mixture a few times. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for about 40 minutes, turning the carrots a few times during cooking.
For a barbecue version, season the carrots and wrap tightly in aluminium foil with the butter, oil, thyme and honey, closing the edges to prevent leakage. Cook the foil packet on a medium barbecue for about 30 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so, until the carrots are tender. Remove the carrots from the oven or foil and transfer to a serving plate, spooning over a little of the oil. Crumble the feta over the top and serve.
Serve with Adam Liaw's lamb steaks with caramelised onion butter.