Carrots braised in Marsala

SERVES 4

“Carrots are not a Sicilian vegetable and seldom appear on local restaurant menus,” says Del Conte. “But like every other vegetable, they grow well in the fertile volcanic soil. I first had this dish at a dinner party by Giuseppe di San Giuliano in his splendid garden near Siracusa. With some roasted potatoes, they were the contorno or accompaniment to roasted wild rabbit shot on the estate. It was an unforgettable dinner both for the food and for the surroundings.” Pictured p103. 50 gm unsalted butter 750 gm carrots, sliced 125 ml Marsala or sherry (not dry)

1 tbsp plain flour

100 ml vegetable stock 1 Melt the butter in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat and, when the foam begins to subside, add carrots, a handful at a time. Add Marsala and cook over high heat for 1 minute, then sprinkle in flour.

2 Cook, stirring constantly for a further minute, then pour in half the stock. Season to taste, cover the pan, and cook over low heat until carrots are tender (about 20 minutes).

Keep a watch on the pan and add more stock as needed to prevent carrots from sticking to the bottom. Season to taste and serve.