The Best Carrot Recipes From Food52.com

For the past year, Food52.com readers have been voting in weekly showdowns of reader-submitted recipes on a given theme. The winning recipes of each week will end up in Food52's upcoming cookbook, along with bios of the people who submitted them (Food52 explains the process in simple detail here).

Food52 and its co-founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs have invited HuffPost Food readers to vote on week 27's contest (of the second year, and the second book).

This week's showdown is for the best carrot recipe.

Check the finalists out below, and vote for your favorite here.

* * *

Roasted Carrot Soup

Photo: Sarah Shatz

Amanda and Merrill's notes on Roasted Carrot Soup on Food52.com:

When we first tasted this soup, we were puzzled. How could a dish that calls for only seven ingredients (not counting salt and pepper), and just five simple steps, be so complex in flavor? Reeve has devised a soup that can be put together in about half an hour, yet would be a great first course for a dinner party. It's dairy-free, but supple and creamy, and roasting the carrots gives them sweet, earthy depth. We especially love Reeve's technique of infusing the broth with ginger before making the soup, ensuring a gentle but pervasive heat. We used a good quality vegetable stock, and we recommend you do the same -- since there are so few ingredients here, each one really counts. - A&M

View the Roasted Carrot Soup recipe here.

Vote for this recipe here.

* * *

Glazed Carrots with Braised Bibb Lettuce

Photo: Sarah Shatz

Amanda and Merrill's notes on Glazed Carrots with Braised Bibb Lettuce on Food52.com:

This recipe relies on classic technique, yet it's by no means conventional. (If you're imagining little hexagonal barrels of carrot, fear not: thirschfeld forgoes such formalities, preferring to highlight the vegetables in their natural state.) He takes whole carrots (with their tops on) and gently simmers them in water laced with plenty of butter, a little vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaf and thyme; as they cook, the liquid reduces and gently lacquers the carrots. At the very end, you add the lettuce leaves to the pan and let them wilt for a few seconds, letting their crevices absorb the fragrant, buttery glaze. -A&M

View the Glazed Carrots with Braised Bibb Lettuce recipe here.

Vote for this recipe here.

Comments

[Aldyth]

10:20 AM on 03/16/2011

Carrots slow roasted with butter and dill.

[butchcliff]

07:50 AM on 03/16/2011

Enjoy just plain old carrots steamed. Served with a bit of butter & pepper
Not fancy, complicated or time consuming. Love em.

[cindyw]

08:31 AM on 03/16/2011

They're also delicious when they're oven roasted.

[butchcliff]

08:40 AM on 03/16/2011

Was going to add that as well! In a slow cooker with anything also.

[ljkcan]

11:20 PM on 03/15/2011

carrot pilaf. Grate about 1 1/2 cups carrots sautee in butter add 1tablespoon parsely, pinch of sugar add rice I use 2/1 ration 1cup basmati 2 cups chicken stalk. Salt and pepper and bring to boil and reduce to simmer.

Great for anyone who has trouble getting kids to eat their vegetables.

[Bucket-Of-Love]

04:48 AM on 03/16/2011

For years I've made an almost exact copy of what you describe as a stuffing for chicken or Cornish hens. Mine has chopped sauted onion and celery added, and a bit of Bell's seasoning.

[Bucket-Of-Love]

04:55 AM on 03/16/2011

Oh, and an egg or two, which makes it cook up light and fluffy as a stuffing.

[ljkcan]

12:20 PM on 03/16/2011

I agree if I was using it for stuffing you need to take it up and and more seasoning.
I use broth which still give it nice flavor. What is Bell's Seasonings? is it available in the US?.

[WarriorLemming]

08:52 PM on 03/15/2011

Carrots are a main stay in our garden and we keep them in the ground all winter pulling up what we need for a meal. Chicken soup wouldn't be the same without sweet, freshly picked carrots--along with the fresh parsley held under cover in the garden during winter. Gardening season is almost here fellow gardeners! :)

[catrancher]

12:59 PM on 03/19/2011

I like to grow as many colors of them as possible. They all taste like carrots, but they don't all taste the same as each other.

[WarriorLemming]

07:55 AM on 03/21/2011

You mean like this, catrancher? I will try there other color carrots this coming season, sounds great. f&f :)
http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/today.html

I never knew there was a carrot museum, haha ;D

[onwisconsin]

08:39 PM on 03/15/2011

I like to braise carrots with just a bit of honey and butter or maple syrup.

Tiny bit.

Love the taste.

[WarriorLemming]

08:53 PM on 03/15/2011

Sounds divine! f&f :)

[LogicalMathMan]

07:48 PM on 03/15/2011

No carrot cake?

I sometimes throw diced carrot into my Chinese fried rice or noodles.

[Bucket-Of-Love]

04:52 AM on 03/16/2011

Yes, in Chinese pan-cooked noodle dishes. I cut them into very fine matchsticks (also begrudgingly b/c of the extra effort required, but always worth the effort) and stir fry them only enough so they're still a bit crunchy.

[LogicalMathMan]

01:31 PM on 03/16/2011

Yum eh? I smiled at the begrudging extra effort. fan #82

[ianmcc]

10:50 AM on 03/15/2011

Honey & cranberries are awesome additions with boiled carrot slices.

[jsarets]

02:52 AM on 03/15/2011

I do my braise-glazed carrots with a homemade chai-spiced simple syrup (infused with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, and clove), a pinch of cayenne pepper, and a sprinkling of fresh mint. i keep that syrup on hand for my green tea, and it works well in a variety of recipes. For example, it also works great in my carrot cake recipe.

[traceymarie]

08:04 PM on 03/15/2011

I use the same syrup with rum for a yummy drink.

[WarriorLemming]

08:55 PM on 03/15/2011

I'm not in the habit for inviting myself to dinner but I really must insist! :)

f&f

[alfredhan]

10:49 PM on 03/14/2011

I'm not sure about the two offered up. they both make me go 'eh'? I make this salad or a variation of it at least twice a week. careful if your cayenne is strong. http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/11/moroccan_carrot_salad