I always feel like such a dork when I post carrot recipes. You know what I’m saying? ;)
But how on earth could I pass on these clever little things? According to the package, Parisian carrots are an heirloom variety originally grown throughout parts of Europe. They’re commonly known as Tonda di Parigi– carrots from France with an Italian mother (feisty!). Sounds like my genetics actually. Unlike baby carrots, Parisian carrots are not shaved or shaped; they grow just like the regular ones with big leafy tops. They are about the size of a small radish and are incredibly sweet. In the spring, you might spot a bunch at your local farmers market.
I bought mine frozen.
The hardest part was figuring out what to do with these bright orange cuties. Soup? Stew? Roast? All I could think of was those J Crew bubble necklaces…
Instead, I prepared them à la Jamie Oliver, a method which involves steaming the carrots first and then roasting them off to finish. I flavor mine with fresh clementine juice and thyme. Once all of the liquid has evaporated and the carrots are cooked through, I drizzle them with honey for a lacquered glaze. It’s all done in one pan. They’re best served warm with a little extra olive oil and a dusting of flaky sea salt and black pepper.
See?
When I plonked them onto the table, all I heard was are they melon balls? Why are they round? The boys immediately started to play with them, while the cats watched from a far with bewilderment. I’m quite positive they wanted to bat at them too- it was as if little orange weebles had invaded their territory! What an intriguing discovery for us all, really.
The best part is that when you slice them in half, the inside will reveal a heart-shaped center. It’s a good thing I have a picture of that, right? Ah, yes …the forgetful mind of a blogger. I guess you will have to see for yourself.
Tips:
- If using frozen carrots, you do not need to defrost them beforehand. Cook straight from the freezer.
- This recipe is not heavy on the orange flavor. Add a sprinkle of orange zest and/or orange blossom honey for an extra kick.
honey baked parisian carrots with orange + thyme
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 2-3
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Parisian carrots
- juice of 1 clementine, or 2 tbsp. fresh orange juice
- 2–3 fresh thyme sprigs
- olive oil
- flaky sea salt (I used Maldon)
- black pepper
- runny honey
* If using frozen carrots, you do not need to defrost them beforehand. Cook straight from the freezer.
* Add a sprinkle of orange zest and/or orange blossom honey for extra orange flavor.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 F.
- Place the carrots into a baking dish in one single layer. I used an 8×8 pan, however a 9×13 would work as well.
- Add the orange juice and place the clementine halves into the pan for extra flavor.
- Add the thyme sprigs.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake until the carrots are tender and the liquid has evaporated, about 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and discard the foil. Increase the heat to 450 F.
- Drizzle the carrots with honey and toss gently.
- Place back into the oven, uncovered, and roast until the carrots begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them so that they do not burn.
- To serve, drizzle lightly with olive oil and add extra salt and pepper to taste.
Comments
laurasmess says
I’ve never seen a Parisian carrot before. We have ‘Chanteray’ carrots here, which are a British variety… they’re kinda smallish but not quite as cute and ‘ball like’ as these ones. Love the idea of the orange, thyme and honey. Perfectly beautiful combination. Nothing dorky about it at all… you clever carrot, you! xxx
Emilie says
Ha ha… but you know what I’m saying right? Every time I think of a carrot recipe, I always get this way. I guess it comes with the territory! Ps- I love Chanteray carrots ;) xx
Pam Green says
Leave it to Trader Joe’s to come up with such adorable little carrots! They look like little turnips or something. Cute! This is a perfect Easter salad with all the orange too. Very cheerful!
Emilie says
I know, right? They really have such a fun and different selection of goodies in that store! And they’re always getting new stuff which is nice too. Thanks for stopping by Pam :)
celia says
They’re the cutest carrots ever! I’ve never seen anything like them! Hope you’re having a fabulous Easter, Em! :) xxx
Emilie says
Thanks Celia! Do you happen grow carrots in your garden? I bet you could get your hands on this variety over there, however I heard carrots can be tricky to grow… I hope you had a wonderful Easter too! I just saw your new bread post and I’m excited to have a look ;) xx
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
These are the prettiest carrots, such a gorgeous side dish!
Emilie says
Thank you Laura!!! Hope you had a wonderful Easter :) xx
Laney (Ortensia Blu) says
How cute are these??! Something new to try especially since plain old carrots get a little…well, old. On the TJ’s list but hopefully we’ll see them at local farmer’s markets…Happy Easter!
Emilie says
Yeah my kids went nuts for these little things. They didn’t think they were carrots at all! I bought mine frozen, but I did happen to see them fresh last year- they are so pretty! It’s so nice to see different varieties of the same old thing. It keeps it interesting that’s for sure. Happy Easter! :)
Sandra says
These are really awesome! I grew a variety of carrot last year that were tiny like these but I didn’t get enough of them to make an actual dish…we just munched them out of the dirt. Oh…and you are totally not a dork for posting carrot recipes…well…but I can see why you would feel that way ;)
This dish is so pretty and the combination of thyme and clementine sounds delicious. You kill me with these awesome trader joe food items though. I’m going to have to find one that is close…need it be an hour or so, and just stock up on EVERYTHING.
Hope you and your family have a very happy Easter :)
Emilie says
Hi Sandra! I know- that’s why I didn’t even mention that they were form Trader Joe’s this time. People are going to think that I work for them or something (which at this point, I probably should!) But obviously the bag gave it away. If you ever come across a TJ’s in your travels definitely stock up. It’s so much fun. Hope you had a great Easter with your family! What gorgeous weather, right? xx
Gourmetgreasemonkey says
The Parisian Carrots have been discontinued by Trader Joes
Emilie says
Hi there!
What a bummer! Thanks for the tip! Perhaps different TJ’s locations will still have them. If not, I’ve recently spotted Parisian carrots in grocery stores as well- check out the frozen section :)