Miso and sesame add a nutty warmth to this buttery dish of glazed carrots. Look for young, slender carrots for the best flavor. Bunched carrots with their tops still intact are always fresher than the 2-pound cello-packed type. (And we all know those cute, peeled, cork-shaped baby carrots are whittled down from “horse carrots.”) Choose a mix of rainbow carrots if you wish, but orange or yellow carrots are fine.

It’s a fairly simple side to put together: Parboil the carrots, then toss them with a tasty mixture of yellow miso, butter and sesame oil before they go in the oven to glaze. Finish with a sprinkle of gochugaru and toasted sesame seeds. They’re a little sweet, a little salty and very aromatic.

Glazed Carrots with Miso and Sesame

Ingredients:

• Salt and pepper

• 2 pounds medium

carrots, bunched

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• 1/4 cup yellow or white miso

• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

• 1 small lemon, zested and juiced

• Pinch of gochugaru

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

• Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

Peel and trim carrots. Halve carrots lengthwise, if on the larger side, and cut into 4-inch lengths. Simmer over medium heat until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the carrots.

In a large bowl, combine butter, miso, sesame oil, lemon zest and juice, and stir well to make a soft paste; toss with carrots to coat.

Add black pepper and gochugaru to taste. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in an even layer.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake until the carrots are golden brown and sizzling, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Total time: 40 minutes, serves 6-8.

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