Honey Mustard (Truffle) Carrots

First published 10/13/2000; last edited 12/26/2004

• one pound carrots, peeled and chopped into small, bite-sized pieces
• enough vegetable broth to cover the carrots
• 2 tablespoons honey (preferably white truffle honey; look for it at Cooking.com. Or, other lightly-flavored exotic honey)
• 2 tablespoons good-quality dijon mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• black pepper to your taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water

Put the carrots in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cover with vegetable broth (we use Knorr vegetable bouillon). Bring to a boil and simmer strongly until fork-tender but not mushy, probably ten to twenty minutes. (Check every five minutes.)

Whisk together the mustard, honey, and spices while the carrots cook.

Pour out all but a little of the broth (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup - you don't need to be entirely precise), but leave the heat on.

Pour the honey-mustard mixture over the carrots. Stir together. Pour the cornstarch mixture over the carrots. Allow to return to a boil briefly to thicken the cornstarch; stir constantly. Remove from the heat and pour into a serving bowl. The sauce will thicken further upon standing.

Makes four small side-dish servings.