You can never have too many options when it comes to making side dishes. I am always looking for something different to do with vegetables. They can get kind of boring if you just do the same thing over and over again. After awhile you start to feel as if you don’t even want to have certain vegetables because you get tired of having them the same way all the time. I think this happened to me with carrots for a bit and for a time I rarely made them at all unless they were just an added component of another part of the dish. I am trying to get them back into my vegetable rotation now because they are great for you, are inexpensive and actually quite versatile in what you can do with them since you can make them so many ways. Such is the case with this recipe I came across not that long ago for whiskey glazed carrots. I got this one from a cookbook I received for Christmas this year called “The Complete Irish Pub Cookbook.” If you are looking for some new Irish recipes to try, this is the book for you. This choice is a very easy one and simple to make and you could certainly omit the whiskey if you prefer not to have it, but it gives a decidedly Irish touch and flavor to the dish.

Whiskey Glazed Carrots

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup vegetable or peanut oil

3 tablespoons butter

4 carrots (about 1 pound) diagonally sliced into 1/2-inch circles

3/4-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced into matchstick strips

2 tablespoons Irish whiskey

1/2 cup chicken broth or water

Combine the sugar, pepper and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil and half of the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the carrots in a single layer and sprinkle them with the sugar mixture. Cook the carrots over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, then start turning the slices with tongs and reduce the heat if necessary to prevent them from burning. When the carrots are slightly browned on both sides and starting to blacken at the edges, transfer the carrots to a plate.

Clean the skillet with paper towels. Add the ginger to the now-empty skillet and cook it over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until it is golden. Remove the ginger from the skillet and add it to the carrots.

Add the remaining butter, the Irish whiskey and the chicken broth or water to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil and then allow it to simmer for 3 minutes or until it begins to thicken and turn syrupy. Return the carrots and ginger to the skillet and swirl the carrots with the syrup for 1 minute. Serve.

Very quick and easy to do and they taste great. The syrup really helps to bring out the sweetness of the carrots and adds a really nice glaze to the dish. These are perfect to serve with any type of meat, pork or poultry dish and I think the whiskey adds just a hint of flavor without overpowering the carrots at all. It is a good quick dish to keep in mind for St. Patrick’s Day as well.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for some more recipes. I have plenty of entrees that I have tried lately that are great to try for weeknights or weekends. until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!