There’s no time to waste. Rosh Hashanah starts tomorrow night. Are you panicking yet? I was.
We’re going to my brother’s on Long Island for dinner the first night, and I’m tasked with bringing a side dish. Yesterday was spent recovering from Harry’s birthday party on Sunday. Tomorrow morning Harry and I are baking a honey cake, then heading east mid-day to avoid the traffic. Today we were off doing Very Important Things (staycation, baby). Oh my god oh my god oh my god there’s no time to do anything so I’ll run around in circles and accomplish nothing. Before I knew it, that side dish became a slow-cooker-or-nothing situation.
So this morning I peeled a giant mound of carrots—orange, purple, and white, from Saturday’s farmers’ market. Halved them crosswise, then cut them into batons. Tossed them in the slow cooker with equal amounts of olive oil and honey and a bit of salt, turned it on LOW, and went off to do our Very Important Things. When we came home almost nine hours later, the apartment smelled like Rosh Hashanah.
I tasted one. Phew. It worked. These carrots are sweet and tender, with just a hint of zip from freshly grated ginger and orange zest, which I stirred in at the last minute. I tasted another, and maybe one or two more, before I finally packed them away. Rosh Hashanah can bring it. I’m ready.
If you’re still looking for inspiration, check out the traditional Rosh Hashanah menu I posted last year. It’s, y’know, traditional, so it doesn’t matter that it’s a year old. Those recipes are as old as time.
L’shanah tovah, everyone!
Slow Cooker Honey-Ginger Carrots
Serves 6-8
2-3 pounds carrots, mixed colors if possible, cut into batons
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper, optional
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
- Coat the slow cooker insert with cooking spray and add the carrots, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss until well-coated.
- Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours. When carrots are tender, stir in ginger and orange zest.
MAKE BABY FOOD: Infants under a year old can’t have honey, due to botulism concerns.