Miso-glazed carrots with cauliflower purée

For the carrots

(Adapted from Chefsteps)

• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 1 bunch carrots, trimmed and washed
• 3/4 c water
• kosher salt

Cut carrots in half lengthwise. Heat EVOO in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place carrots in the pan cut side down and brown, about 3 minutes. Add water to the pan, cover with a lid, and steam for 15 minutes.

For the Cauliflower Purée

(Adapted from Modernist Cuisine at Home)

Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to complete the dish.

Also, you can scale this up or down based on the amount of cauliflower you have. To scale the recipe, weigh your cauliflower, then multiply by the percentages of the other ingredients.

For instance, if your head is 800 g, then you’d need: 80 g butter, 24 g water, and 4 g salt.

• 100% (500 g) cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 15% (75 g) butter
• 5% (25 g) water
• 0.5% (2.5 g) salt

Brown the butter in the base of a pressure cooker. Add cauliflower, water, and salt, and pressure cook for about ten minutes. Depressurize and transfer the contents of the pan to a blender. Blend on high until completely puréed.

Don't fret if you don't have a pressure cooker. I'm using it to speed up the cauliflower cook time. You could sauté over medium heat if you want. It'll just take longer.

To complete

• 4 tbsp mirin (I'm using white wine)
• 3 tbsp white miso paste (you can use soy sauce here and reduce the mirin a bit)
• splash of sesame oil (not necessary; if you don't have, don't fret)

Mix the the glazing ingredients together in a small bowl. Heat a pan over medium heat. Add carrots. (Or just add to the pan with the carrots from above.) Add the glaze ingredients. Cook until the sauce reduces to a glaze, spooning over the carrots, about 5 minutes.

Place a large spoonful of cauliflower purée on a plate. Place the carrots on top. Drizzle any remaining glaze on the carrots.