Stove-top carrots (and parsnips, and squash)

When my colleagues mother from Turkey was visiting Waterloo, Ontario, I first had carrots fried slowly in olive oil and served with yogurt. It was memorable, the combined sweetness from carrots, peppery hint from olive oil, and tartness from yogurt came together perfectly. I had to learn how to make it.

Thankfully, making this magic does not require spending years in a school of witchcraft and wizardry. All it takes are good ingredients and patience to cook the carrots slowly. Using a good pan helps, too. I have had success with cast iron, stainless steel, and ceramic non-stick.

Ingredients:

• Carrots: washed, scrubbed, cut into about 1/2 inch pieces. Use the freshest ripest tastiest carrots you can get your hands on. Quantity: 2lb or as much as you want.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Something reasonable to cook with, no need for anything fancy. Quantity: enough to generously cover the bottom of the pan, and more if needed.
• Salt: a pinch or two, adjust as needed

Method:

Heat a pan on medium heat. The pan should be large enough to accommodate carrots comfortably, a single layer is best, two layers is OK. Cover the bottom of the pan with oil. Start adding carrot pieces a bit at a time so that the pan doesn't cool down. Sprinkle with salt as you are adding carrots. Mix well to coat carrots with oil. Add more oil if needed. Cover, cook on low to medium heat for 1/2 hour, until the carrots are soft. Uncover. Keep cooking on medium heat until carrots start to brown and caramelize. 

Serve slightly warm with a dollop of good yogurt. Add more olive oil if you feel like it.

Variations:

• Parsnips can be mixed with carrots, or cooked on their own.
• Butternut squash works very well. You can add the depth of flavor by first frying onions or leeks, or both, in the olive oil before adding the squash. I have tried this with coconut oil too - while it changes the flavor significantly, it was very good.