From the Archives: Morrocan-Inspired Braised Carrots

Back in May, I wrote about a Morrocan-inspired side-dish that I tried out. A dish of braised carrots using dried figs instead of raisins, it was really quite good served with rice, fish, and even beef. When I decided to revisit this recipe again, it was because I’d picked up some red carrots at the farmer’s market. Although they appear a dark burgundy red on the outside, once their skin is removed, you’ll see that they are the same orange color that we’re used to (beta carotene!) on the inside.

As usual, my impetus for making this dish was the availability of ingredients. I had the red carrots and dried figs, but I also had two Japanese eggplants that I had yet to use up, so I decided to cook them into the dish, since the sweet sauce would impart its flavor onto the relatively mild eggplant. My rule is: don’t be afraid to look in your fridge, figure out what needs to be used up, and figure out if it can be used in something you’re about to cook. Don’t let vegetables go to waste, spoiling in your fridge!

I was pretty pleased with the edited version of this dish, as the eggplant added a nice toothsome texture to the dish (in contrast with the crispier carrots), without clashing with the flavors.

How have you incorporated extra ingredients into dishes?