DECONSTRUCTION: HOW STUFFED CARROTS BECAME A CARROT CASSEROLE

I'm always on the look out for great ways to spice up vegetable recipes.  I found what sounded and looked like an awesome recipe in a magazine for a carrot side dish.  I was excited to make it, but then oh so disappointed.  They looked pretty, but they tasted awful.  So, we sat around the dinner table deconstructing AND reconstructing the recipe!  My family is so good at dinner conversation.  Well, maybe not, but at least they tell me what they don't like and then help turn it into something they will like.

The original recipe:

BAKED STUFFED CARROTS

12 medium carrots

1/4 cup mayonnaise

4 teaspoons grated onion

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons butter, melted and divided

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1. Place carrots in a skillet. Add 1 inch of water.  Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until crisp tender.  Drain.
2. Cut a thin lengthwise slice out of each carrot.  Scoop out carrot, leaving a 1/4 inch shell, set shells aside. Place the removed carrot in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped.  Transfer to a large bowl; add mayonnaise, onion, horseradish, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Spoon into carrot shells.
3. Place in a greased 13 inch x 9 inch baking dish.  Combine the crumbs, 1 tablespoon butter and paprika; sprinkle over carrots.  Drizzle with remaining butter.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until tender. 

Do you remember Gilligan's Island Season 3, episode 20?  No, I didn't REMEMBER the number or season either, but I remember the episode well.  Gilligan discovers a crate in the lagoon and pries off the lid, which falls face side down of course, and inside are all these beautiful seeds.  Mary Ann immediately plants a garden and they all have their favorite vegetables.  Because the seeds are radioactive they produce bigger and "better" vegetables that gives each castaway a special ability.  These were 2 1/2 inches in diameter!

I present to you the Gilligan's Island Carrots:

THE RECIPE WORTH MAKING:

BAKED CARROT CASSEROLE

12 medium carrots

1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 large bunch green onions, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs 2 tablespoons butter, divided 1/8 teaspoon paprika

• Place carrots in a skillet. Add 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes or until crisp tender. Drain. Cool.
• Slice carrots into 1 inch lengths and then into 4 pieces each.
• In a small skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter.  Saute' onions and garlic until translucent and fragrant. Drain of fat.
• Transfer to a large bowl; add mayonnaise, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Toss with cooled carrots until well coated.
• Place into a greased 9X9 baking dish. Combine the crumbs, 1 tablespoon butter and paprika; sprinkle over carrots. Drizzle with remaining butter.
• Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until tender.