Caramelised Carrots with Honey and Pomegranate Molasses

Caramelised carrots is a delicious side dish in itself, but I have created this recipe as one of the stuffings for a festive Christmas three birds roll. Caramelised carrots were to replace prunes, which I used previously in birds roasts/rolls.

I was aiming for the intense flavours with salty and sweet taste. The flavours had to be noticeable in the roll to replace the distinct prunes taste.

Caramelised carrots can be made using butter, but can also be prepared in dairy free version without butter. I made both versions to bake 2 types of birds rolls. One roll – gluten and grain free, the other – also dairy free as well. The recipe for three birds roll with mushroom and carrot stuffing to follow.

Ingredients:

• 2 extra large carrots, they are easier to grate
• 2 table/dessert spoons of olive oil
• 1 table spoon unsalted butter
• 2 table spoons sesame seeds, roasted on a dry frying pan
• 1 table spoon honey
• 2 tea spoons pomegranate molasses
• pinch of caraway seeds (absent in photo)
• sea salt to taste

Preparation:

• heat sesame seeds on a dry frying pan on medium heat until creamy light brown colour appears, leave them to cool
• grate carrots in a long and thin sticks, you can do it with special grater or julienne peeler
• in a deep frying pan heat olive oil and butter
• add pinch of caraway seeds
• add roasted sesame seeds
• add carrots and cook them for several minutes on medium to medium/high, depending of the frying pan and type of burner
• you can turn carrots as a layer 2-3 times
• add honey and gentry stir

• add pomegranate molasses (you can replace molasses with balsamic or apple vinegar), however the taste will not be quite the same
• working with 2 spoons or spatulas gently move carrots around while cooking of medium heat
• season with sea salt, you can use gluten free soy sauce to replace sea salt, it will give carrots more distinct flavour

• cook carrots until they become just soft, do not overcook them
• taste carrots at the end of preparation, adjust the taste using honey, molasses or sea salt, seasoning depends on carrots sweetness
• add extra sesame seeds if you prepare caramelised carrots as a separate dish

• serve warm or cold as a side dish
• we had it with homemade beetroot soba noodles, prepared with mushrooms and vegetables (recipe can be found here)

For my Christmas roll, I packed caramelised carrots in baking paper and kept refrigerated before using in a roll.