French Glazed Carrots (Carottes Vichy)

5 from 3 votes

French Glazed Carrots (Carottes Vichy)

Recipe video above. This is JB's recipe for glazed carrots, the French way - carrot coins gently cooked in water, butter, salt and just a small amount of sugar until it reduces down into a glaze. It's far less sweet than typical glazed carrots and the carrot pieces are so tender they almost melt in your mouth.

Called Carrotes Vichy or Carottes Glacées, it's a very classic French side dish made in homes and also served at restaurants and bistros.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Course: Side, Vegetables

Cuisine: French, Western

Keyword: Carottes glacées, Carottes Vichy, Glazed Carrots

Servings: people (as a side)

Calories: 101cal

Author: Nagi and JB

Ingredients

800g / 1.75 lb carrots , peeled and sliced into 6mm / 0.2" rounds
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp / 30g unsalted butter
4 tsp white sugar
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , (half for table salt, +50% for flakes)
2 tsp finely chopped parsley

Cups - Metric

Instructions

ABBREVIATED RECIPE

Bring water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil. Add carrots, cover with cartouche, simmer 15 min or until water has evaporated. Stir through parsley and serve.

FULL RECIPE

Cut a cartouche - Cut a round piece of baking paper (parchment paper) big enough to cover the surface of a large 30cm / 12″ pan. See Note 1 for a 30 second way to do this.
Bring the liquid to a simmer - Place a large, 30cm / 12″ deep pan over medium high heat. Add water, butter, sugar, salt and bring it to a simmer. Simmer until the sugar is dissolved - about 30 seconds.
Carrots - Add the sliced carrots, stir well and turn the heat down to a simmer on medium heat. They should sit semi-submerged in the liquid rather than fully covered..
Cover and cook - Place the cartouche on top so it touches the carrots. Cook for 15 minutes without stirring or removing the cartouche, or until all the water has evaporated. By the end, the carrots should be very soft all the way through and with a bright orange colour and no browning, and the liquid should reduced down to a syrupy glaze, just enough for a thin shiny coating. If the carrots are a little firm, add a little more water, cover with cartouche again and keep cooking.
Finish - Remove from the stove, remove the cartouche, add the parsley and stir very gently until the carrots are coated in the butter glaze. Go easy on the stirring, the carrots can break apart if handled roughly.
Serve - Transfer into a bowl and serve warm!

Notes

1. Cartouche - A round piece of baking paper that helps the carrots cook evenly while letting enough steam escape for the glaze to form, classic cooking technique. To make one (it's quick and easy!), fold the paper into a thin wedge, trim to the radius of the pan, then unfold. It only needs to roughly fit and cover the carrots - see step photos or video.

Lid option - If you can't or don't feel like making a cartouche, a lid left open on one side works well too, it will just take a little longer for the water to fully evaporate.

Leftovers and storage - These keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water, or in the microwave. Not recommended for freezing, the carrots will lose their texture once thawed.

Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition