As Elizabeth David says, this is ‘an excellent little dish, which makes a course on its own’*. However, the quality of the carrots is important.

400g young carrots, scraped and each cut in half lengthways
Olive oil
A few tablespoons of long grain rice
Salt
2 tbsp dried mint or 3 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped (or finely chopped fresh parsley)
Squeeze of lemon juice

Place the carrots in a heavy frying pan and turn them over in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add a few tablespoons of long grain rice (I use basmati) and stir around.

Add enough water just to cover and a pinch of salt. Simmer, uncovered, for about 25 minutes or until carrots and rice are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Stir in one or two tablespoons of dried mint or three of fresh mint (or finely chopped parsley if you prefer) and a squeeze of lemon juice.

ED says, ‘this dish is equally good hot or cold’ and ‘will serve two or three people as a first course for a simple midday meal’.

• Elizabeth David, Spices, Salt and Aromatics in the English Kitchen, rev ed. 1973