Grilled Carrot Salad with Brown Butter Vinaigrette

Grilling concentrates the sweet flavor of fresh baby carrots. (Bagged “baby” carrots will never taste the same.) Bryce Gilmore marinates them, then tosses them with a wonderful and unusual dressing he makes by cooking butter until brown, then pureeing it with marcona almonds and sherry vinegar.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika
  • 1 tablespoon ground fennel
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • 1 pound baby carrots, halved lengthwise and tops trimmed to 1 inch
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 tablespoons marcona almonds, plus chopped almonds for garnish
  • 5 ounces baby arugula

    HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

    1. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, paprika, fennel, coriander, garlic and thyme. Add the carrots and let stand for 2 hours.
    2. Preheat a grill pan. Remove the carrots from the marinade and season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderate heat, turning, until crisp-tender, 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
    3. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, cook the butter over moderate heat until lightly browned and nutty-smelling, shaking the pan gently, about 5 minutes. Scrape the butter and solids into a blender. Add the vinegar, water and the 2 tablespoons of almonds; puree until smooth. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
    4. Add the vinaigrette and arugula to the carrots; toss to coat. Transfer the salad to plates, sprinkle with chopped almonds and serve.