Gourmet Carrots and Peas with Arugula

Last week David informed me that his office was having its annual Thanksgiving Smorgasbord and asked if I wanted to make something. I told him I probably wouldn't have time but I could pick out a recipe that incorporated the ingredients we had in the fridge and pantry for him to make. He agreed.

Fast forward to last Thursday evening. As anticipated I didn't have time to cook but I set all the ingredients on the counter and pulled the recipe up on my laptop to make things as easy as possible for him. However, despite these efforts I have never heard so much frustrated muttering/ swearing coming from our kitchen. The knife wasn't sharp enough, he couldn't find the peeler, he should have just picked something up etc. It's a good thing I am a much more patient cook or this blog wouldn't exist!

In spite of all the suffering and hardship that he endured preparing this dish it turned out amazingly well. Not your children's peas and carrot this dish is extremely flavorful and paired perfectly with the turkey and other fixings at the Smorgasbord. It would also make a great addition to your Thanksgiving feast :)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup red wine
3 tbsp honey
2 pound carrots
2 1/2 cups frozen peas
2 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
2 garlic cloves
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp regular salt)
pinch of black pepper
Arugula






Directions:
Combine the orange juice with the red wine. Drizzle in the honey.
Stir until the honey has dissolved, then add the cinnamon sticks and star anise.
Cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes. (Once the liquid is reduced you end up with 1/3 of what you started with.)
Peel the carrots and slice them at an angle in about 1/2 an inch thick slices. Place them in a big casserole dish. Pour in the 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil and add the coriander seeds.
Add the crushed garlic, black pepper to taste and the kosher salt. Stir it and bake the carrots for 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 445Fº
If using frozen peas boil them for 2 minutes in lightly salted water. Drain well.
After 15 minutes stir the wine and orange juice reduction into the carrots.
Mix it all up and put the carrots back into the oven for another 7 minutes.
As soon as the carrots are done stir in the drained peas.

Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then add the arugula

Enjoy!