Carrot & Swiss Bake

       Whether this dish is French or not, I acquired the recipe in a French

cooking class years ago.  Never having been a huge carrot fan, fresh or

cooked, I was dubious, but after the first bite I was amazed at how delicious this version was - and I've liked cooked carrots ever since!  And the combo of Swiss cheese with carrots - who would have thought it?

       Just as with cilantro, eggplant, tomatoes and I'm sure you could add

to the list, there are some things that we are born to appreciate and others not ......carrots may be one of them and if people like them it is often only raw or cooked.  So it is in our home, a warren of raw carrot lovers.  I am the only one who will eat this incredibly delicious recipe and I have coaxed, offered money and promised they would like it if they just tried a bite.  I was determined they needed this in their lives!  But no amount of cajoling would sway them. But there were two, those with the very finest palates who savored it as I did, my mother and oldest daughter, so now I only prepare it when they are around to help me eat it.

      If you were ever scarred in your childhood by being forced to sit

at the table until you ate your carrots, this may be the cure.  Conversely, if you insist your children eat all their carrots, these may be the ones

you don't have to punish them to eat!

Carrot Swiss Cheese Bake:

2 1/2 pounds baby carrots

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 eggs

3/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese

pepper to taste

1 package frozen peas and pearl onions or fresh peas

coarsely chopped fresh parsley

      -Cut baby carrots in half and place in medium saucepan.

Cover with cold water and cook over medium-high heat until water comes to a boil. Drain.

      -Add butter, stock, sugar and salt to drained carrots in 

saucepan and cook over medium heat until carrots are very

tender and liquid is almost gone, stirring occasionally.  (Add a bit more water if carrots are not tender by the time the liquid is almost gone and continue to cook.  Repeat if necessary but let the liquid boil almost away.)  Remove from heat and squeeze lemon juice over carrots.

      -Mash carrot mixture with a potato masher or pulse in

the food processor until very smooth.  Let cool about 10

minutes.

      -Meanwhile, steam peas and onions or fresh peas just

until tender and the skin stills pops when you bite into 

one.  Rinse in cold water to stop cooking process.  (For

frozen peas, bring water to a boil, place peas in the water and

return to the boil and boil for 2-3 minutes.  For fresh peas,

bring water to the boil and boil for about 5 minutes.)

      -Beat eggs in small bowl until well combined then stir

into cooled carrot mixture along with the cheese and pepper.

Taste for seasoning.

      -Butter a 6 - 8 cups ovenproof casserole dish and spoon

carrot mixture into the dish, making an indentation with the

back of a spoon about the size of a small fist.  Bake at 350

degrees for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is beginning to brown.  Remove from oven.

      -Place peas in the microwave on high for 30 seconds and then place in the indentation in the carrots and garnish

with chopped parsley.  Serve warm.  Serves 8 - 10

Saute carrots in butter and stock.

Mash or process carrots until very smooth.

Spoon mixture into casserole and bake.

Buttery, cheesy carrots and fresh popping peas!