Carrots Vichy-style

I really should try to be more versatile when cooking and stop substituting thyme for everything. Despite what a recipe may specify for me to use - parsley, rosemary, oregano, bay leaf or basil - I still somehow manage to sneak in a few sprigs of my beloved thyme during the cooking process. It is just such a reliable herb - delicate, but always fragrant and never fails to enhance the flavours in a dish.

In a classic French way of preparing carrots, by Margaret Fulton, chopped parsley is sprinkled over the cooked carrots just before serving; but my misdemeanour ways told me to skip that step and add in thyme leaves at the beginning so that they can gently cook with the carrots until tender.

"Carrots develop their best flavour cooked in a covered saucepan with butter, seasonings and a small amount of liquid."

Serves 4:
- 500g carrots
- 60g unsalted butter
- 4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
- 1 tbs water
- ½ tsp sugar
- Sea salt

Scrub or scrape the carrots, then cut into slices. You could also cut them into quarters, then into lengths. I used Dutch carrots, which are small, so I just left them whole. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the carrots, thyme leaves, water and sugar. Cover and cook gently until tender, turning them occasionally and taking care not to break them. Sprinkle with a little salt just before serving.

Carrots Vichy