Nana’s Kitchen: Sister Mary’s Zesty Carrots

Nana’s Kitchen: Sister Mary’s Zesty Carrots

Greetings, home cooks, welcome to Nana’s Kitchen, 

I hope your plans for Thanksgiving went well. I am a list maker so a menu was planned, written down, as well as as a list of needed items for the grocery store. Perhaps on your list you might want to add some horseradish for this weeks recipe.

The recipe today comes from the Shakers. A Protestant sect that came to the U.S. from England in 1747. They practiced communal living with shared property. There were 19 Shaker communities in the U.S. in the Northeast, Ohio, and Kentucky. The communities were agriculturally based. 

Apparently there are a few Shaker members left in Sabbathday Shaker Village in New Glouster, Maine. Many of the former Shaker villages are now open as museums that may be seen and enjoyed. These museums share the Shaker creativity in farming, furniture making, practical inventions, and cultural heritage. The recipes that have been left are based on simple, wholesome food. They grew most of what they ate. Herbs added flavor and zest to their dishes.

As mentioned this recipe uses horseradish. Horseradish is a root vegetable known for its sharp taste and pungent odor. It is a cruciferous vegetable like mustard, wasabi, cabbage, broccoli, and kale. An oil in the horseradish gives it the telltale taste and odor. Prepared horseradish contains the grated root, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Horseradish sauce contains the same grated root, sour cream, heavy cream, or mayonnaise. Prepared horseradish is used in this recipe. 

Sister Mary’s Zesty Carrots

Ingredients:
8 carrots, peeled, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons grated onions
2 tablespoons horseradish
1/2 cup mayonnaise 
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees
Add prepared carrots to boiling salted water, reduce heat and cook until tender.
Drain carrots and place into casserole dish. 
Mix onion, horseradish, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and water in a small bowl and combine.
Spread sauce over carrots.
Mix bread crumbs and butter. Sprinkle over carrot mixture.
Bake 20 – 25 minutes.

Hints:
Used a few more carrots since some of mine were skinny.
Placed in a small casserole dish, 1 -2 quart.
There was not an overwhelming taste of the horseradish after baking.
The scent from the baking was not unpleasant as you might think.
It is a savory dish, a departure from sweet glazed carrots. 
You could use gluten free bread crumbs to make this a gluten free dish.
Serves 4-6.