Glazed carrots.

My father is what some might call obsessive about his homemade stuffing. Every Thanksgiving, he makes the same recipe that his mother made growing up and thereisnomessingwithit. As far as he is concerned, it is perfect and all other cornbread/brioche/sausage/mushroom variations are imposters. I think the way he figures, he gets to have as much stuffing as he wants one day a year, and he is not going to let you (or me) mess with it. I had a similar argument for ordering pad thai for several years whenever I went to a Thai restaurant - not because I didn't want to try new dishes but because no matter how many times a month I was able to go out for Thai food, I never felt like I had enough pad thai. It's just that delicious.

And maybe it's because I also grew up eating his stuffing, so it tastes like Thanksgiving to me, but it is rather delectable. The recipe is hidden away somewhere deep in my parents' cabinets, so I won't be sharing it here, but I will say that there is nothing revolutionary in there - no black truffles or fennel sausage or quinoa. Maybe that's why it has induced such devotion?

These carrots are as simple as they come. They have a total of six ingredients counting salt and pepper, and yet I would argue they can be wonderfully elegant when the moment demands it. Every year, I harass my family into trying a few requisite new recipes to supplement the old standards. There is always the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, my dad's stuffing, usually my mom's tomato pudding*, and then pumpkin and pecan pies. In the past, I've tried Brussels sprouts and green beans and gratins, but I like the idea of keeping the vegetables simple this year (I can hear my husband laughing as I type this sentence).

For the next couple weeks, I am hopefully going to be sharing some different side dish ideas for you to consider if you are also trying to liven up your Thanksgiving recipe rotation or if you've been invited to bring a dish to a Thanksgiving gathering. Coming from the esteemed Canal House Cooking series, these carrots are everything that pairs well with meat - sweet and buttery, and yet somehow not overly filling or rich. I made them for the first time to go with a Christmas roast, but I think they would pair equally well with turkey and gravy.

Glazed carrots
Adapted from Canal House Cooking Volume No 2: Fall & Holiday
Serves 8

3 lbs young, thin carrots with green tops
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 tsp salt and more to taste
pepper

Trim green tops off carrots leaving less than 1/2 inch of green at the top. Scrub them well with cold water, rubbing around the base of the stems to remove any dark material and then peel them. In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot add carrots along with rest of ingredients. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the carrots are tender, usually about 20 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until sauce reduces and thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately or cover loosely with foil until time to serve. Can garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

*An interesting recipe from my mom's childhood which involves lots of butter, pureed tomato and sugar.