This is a small side dish, but you can double or triple it in a large dish.
- 1 pound (455 grams) baby carrots, peeled and bagged
- 5 tablespoons (75 grams) unsalted butter, divided
- ¾ cup panko-style crumb breadcrumbs
- Kosher salt
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons (25 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (235 ml) vegetable broth
- Fresh black pepper
- 3 tablespoons minced parsley, or a mixture of your favorite herbs and carrots such as chives and dill, divided
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 1 cup (85 grams) grated gruyere or comte cheese
Prepare the carrots: Our biggest enemy here is how the watery baby carrots get in the bags. But, it’s easily worth the trouble! Drain the carrots (there’s a puddle at the bottom of the bag waiting to splash) and place them in a bowl lined with paper towels 10 minutes before starting. Cut the carrots lengthwise and return them to a towel-lined bowl while you work on the other ingredients.
Make the brown butter crumb: In a large stockpot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter (30 grams) of butter over medium heat and continue to cook, stirring here and there, until the butter turns brown and smells fantastic. Add the breadcrumbs and two pinches of salt to the pan and fry, stirring, until golden brown all over. Remove the crumbs and set aside.
Make the sauce: Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons (45 grams) of butter and brown it. Once browned, increase the heat to high and add the shallots. Cook the shallots until soft and beginning to brown around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the flour and cook until it disappears; it will look like a chunky paste. Add the broth, and stir until the flour mixture is dissolved. Bring the sauce to a boil and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond brand; start with half for other brands) and several grinds of black pepper. The sauce will seem very thick but that is on purpose; A lot of water will come out of the carrots as they bake. Add the carrots and stir to combine, cooking together for one minute. Add 2 tablespoons of herbs.
Mix and bake: Transfer the carrots and their sauce to a 1-quart baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the carrots are soft (spear with a knife or toothpick to check for resistance). Increase oven temperature to 400°F (205°C). Transfer the dish briefly to a heat-safe place. Remove the foil, add the capers. Mix the cheese and toasted breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top. Return to oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. For more color on top, use a pan briefly under your oven broiler.
Serve: Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon herbs and dig in.
Do it ahead: You can prepare the dish to the point where it goes into the oven and rest for a few hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. You can also pause before adding the cheese and crackers for the final bake; this would be good to do well before serving. Leftovers can be reheated in a 350-degree oven.
