What does “Vichy” mean?  

“Vichy” is a town in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, in central France. It is a popular spa and resort site known for its springs of naturally carbonated water. This so-called “Vichy” water is commercialized and enjoyed all throughout France, as a table water as well as to cook with.

By tradition, this recipe was prepared with sparkling Vichy, supposedly giving the dish health-benefits from the mineral-rich water. Nowadays, the recipe is simply often done with flat water, for convenience. But you can of course use sparkling water if you wish – or even better, Vichy water if you can get your hands on it.

To sum it up, “Vichy-Style” stands for the French technique of cooking vegetables in butter, sugar, and a little water until it reduces to create a light buttery glaze. This cooking method not only creates a most succulent sweet and salty glaze, it also ensures the carrots are perfectly cooked – tender, yet still slightly firm. The dish is often finished off with chopped parsley and simple seasoning.

Vichy Carrots are the most popular and beloved take on this cooking technique in France. This dish was in fact often served to us at the school canteen, as kids usually love this vegetable dish too.

As an adult now, I always like to spot it on a restaurant menu to accompany fish or meat. And for festive occasions, like for Easter when carrots are in season, I almost always make it as well.

Once you master this technique, you can try it with other root vegetables too, such as turnips or beets. 

Can I prepare this dish ahead of time?

Yes, absolutely! You can prepare the full recipe up to 2 hours prior and simply let the carrots sit in the pan. 15 to 20 minutes before serving, reheat the pan on medium-low and stir occasionally to reheat through and ensure the glaze is warm and glistening.

How to store Vichy Carrots?

After making and enjoying Vichy Carrots – if you have any leftovers – you can store them in the refrigerator or in the freezer. 

• In the refrigerator: let the dish cool completely and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat your portions on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• In the freezer: let the dish cool completely and store it in a (freezer-friendly) airtight container and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, you can let the dish thaw in the fridge before heating it through on the stovetop or in the microwave.

What can I serve Vichy Carrots with?

Vichy Carrots are a simple side dish to enjoy on weekdays. Yet, I think it is fancy enough to be served for bigger occasions too!

It is lovely to accompany most type of meats, such as beef, pork, or chicken. You can enjoy them as a side to Beef Bourguignon, a simple roasted chicken, a Coq Au Vin or Chicken Tarragon. You can also serve these glazed carrots with fish, such as Sole Meunière or a Bordeaux-Style fish Gratin.

My final tips:

• If you get organic carrots, you don’t need to peel them. Simply brush them off and rinse them thoroughly under cold water. If they aren’t organic, I recommend peeling them.
• A key to this recipe is to cut the carrots the same size to ensure even cooking. To do so, use a sharp cooking knife and don’t be afraid to take your time. Slice the carrots in ¼ inch thick diagonal slices.
• Once the dish is cooked, do not let Vichy carrots sit too long as the butter glaze can solidify. Serve hot right from the pan if possible, or reheat before serving.

I hope you’ll love this Vichy Carrots (French Style Glazed Carrots) recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment.

More French sides you may like: 

• French Green Beans Almondine
• Classic stove top Ratatouille 
• Classic Vegetable Tian from Provence
• Cauliflower Gratin
• Classic Potato Gratin Dauphinois
• Brussels Sprouts Gratin
• Cucumber Salad with Crème Fraiche
• French-Style Potato Salad

Vichy Carrots (French Style Glazed Carrots)

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

Ingredients

8 medium sized carrots
3.5 tbsp (50g) unsalted butter
2 tbsp (25g) sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste,
8-9 sprigs fresh curly parsley, stemmed and chopped.

Instructions

Step 1 – Peel the carrots (if needed, see note above) and chop them on a diagonal into pieces about ¼-inch (0.5cm) thick.

Step 2 – In a large frying pan, melt the butter over low heat with the sugar. As soon as the butter is melted, add the carrots, and stir to coat. Sautee for just 2-3 minutes (you don’t want any caramelization yet). Pour the water into the pan so it just covers the carrots. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-high and simmer (uncovered) for at least 20 minutes or until the water has completely evaporated. As the carrots cook and the water evaporates, stir occasionally (very gently, as to not break the carrots).

Step 3 – When the water is evaporated, add salt and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and stir to just mix. Serve hot. Do not let the carrots sit too long before serving, as the butter glaze could solidify.

The post Vichy Carrots (French Style Glazed Carrots) appeared first on Pardon Your French.

It is a simple, unfussy side-dish or light dinner, and it’s a wonderfully different way to enjoy beets.  

A dish inspired by the “Betteraves à la Poitevine”

The inspiration for this recipe comes from the “Betteraves à la Poitevine”. This traditional dish hailing from Poitou, in west-central France, is utterly famous in France. It features beet slices cooked in an onion roux and then deglazed in wine vinegar. You’ll often find them accompanying rice, potatoes and meats.

My version of it is a little earthier, with the beets sauteed in a garlic and onion roux, deglazed in both white wine and wine vinegar, and finally completed with chopped kale. I also suggest you enjoy it with a side of crusty bread and goat cheese, which is a perfect pairing with beets.

How to make these Poitou-Style Braised Beets with Kale

The recipe starts by washing, peeling and slicing the beets. You should wear gloves for this step, or your hands will be purple and stained for days.

You then wash, drain and remove the ribs from the kale and chop it coarsely. When in season, you can substitute the kale with fresh spinach, Tuscan kale or even Swiss Chard. Any kind of leafy green will work great in here, and bring a perfect bitterness to this dish.

The recipe continues with building a roux in a large pan (ensure that this pan has a lid you can use with it). Caramelized onions, garlic, flour and butter are cooked until golden. Beet slices are then added and de-glazed in white wine and wine vinegar.

With the lid on, beets are slowly braised in the liquid until tender. For this step, use a pointy knife to test the tenderness of the beets – I’ll let you decide how you like your beets: slightly tender to utterly tender. Finally, the chopped kale is added, and stirred until wilted.

My Cooking tips:

• You can opt for red beets, yellow beets or a mix. Make sure you wear gloves (ie.plastic or latex gloves) when peeling the beets or your hands will be stained for days.
• I love the earthiness and texture of kale in this dish, but you can substitute them for in-season fresh spinach, Tuscan kale or Swiss chard leaves (all ribs removed and leaves chopped).
• For the goat cheese, choose a good Bûcheron if you can or an unripened goat cheese such as this one from Soignon, which is widely available in grocery stores in the US/Canada.

I hope you’ll love these Poitou-Style Braised Beets with Kale. They make for a great side to accompany poultry or pork, or a great dinner on their own served alongside goat cheese with crusty bread.

You may also like:

• French Lentil Soup 
• Provence-Style Tomatoes with breadcrumbs
• Eggplant Toasts with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Poitou-Style Braised Beets with Kale

Print Recipe

Serves: 2-4 people Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 Minutes 35 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.5/5

( 8 voted )

Ingredients

4 large beets (or 5-6 medium)
½ bunch kale
3 tbsp (43g) butter (salted or unsalted)
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and diced
2 tbsp (17g) all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
3 tbsp (45ml) dry white wine
1 tbsp (15ml) wine vinegar
1 tbsp (15ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Bread and ripened soft goat cheese, for serving

Instructions

Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.

Step 1 – Prepare the vegetables. Wash, scrub and peel the beets; remove the greens and cut the beets into 1/4-inch thick slices. Wash and drain the kale; remove the ribs and coarsely chop the leaves.

Step 2 – In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter is foamy, add the garlic and onion and cook until softened, for about 4-5 minutes. Add the flour, salt, ground black pepper and nutmeg, and cook for 1 minute to make a roux (the flour will turn moist and golden in color).

Step 3 – Add the beets, white wine and vinegar and stir until the flour is fully incorporated into the liquid. Reduce the heat and sauté, flipping the beet slices occasionally until the beets become tender, about 20-25 minutes (with a lid on). If the beets become too dry while cooking, you can add another 2-3 tbsp (45ml) of white wine (or water) if necessary.

Step 4 – When the beet slices are tender enough (you can test the tenderness by inserting a pointy knife), add the chopped kale and cook for about 2-3 minutes (lid off) until the kale is wilted and has absorbed the last of the moisture in the pan. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 5 – Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with EVOO. Serve as a side, or enjoy with bread and slices of goat cheese.

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench  and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench.  Bon Appetit! 

The post Poitou-Style Braised Beets with Kale appeared first on Pardon Your French.