TABELIAAUTHENTIC RECIPE
Carote in Agrodolce alla SicilianaSicilian Sweet-and-Sour Carrots
A Sicilian side dish of gently braised carrots coated with a sweet-and-sour mixture of sugar and wine vinegar, then left at room temperature with mint to absorb the flavors.
AUTHENTICITY SCORE
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Ingredients (4 servings)
- CarrotsPeel and cut into 5 mm-thick rounds500 g
- Sugar20 g
- White wine vinegar50 ml
- Extra virgin olive oil30 ml
- GarlicPeel and lightly crush1 clove
- Fresh mintTear by hand; add after turning off the heat10 pieces
- Salt4 g
Method
Cut the carrots and prepare the garlic
- 1 Peel 500 g carrots and cut into 5 mm-thick rounds.
- 2 Peel and lightly crush 1 garlic clove.
- 3 Tear 10 mint leaves by hand.
Ready when
Proceed when the carrot slices are evenly thick.
Braise the carrots
- 1 Heat 30 ml extra virgin olive oil and the garlic in a frying pan over low heat. Once fragrant, add the carrots and 4 g salt and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- 2 Pour 100 ml water into the pan, cover and braise for 8–10 minutes.
Ready when
Proceed when a bamboo skewer enters easily.
Coat in sweet-and-sour glaze
- 1 Remove the lid, add 20 g sugar and 50 ml white wine vinegar and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- 2 Reduce for 3–4 minutes while shaking the pan. Turn off the heat when the sharp smell of vinegar has mellowed and the carrots are coated in a glossy sweet-and-sour film.
Let the flavors settle
- 1 Add the mint to the pan off the heat, stir once and transfer to a flat plate. Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.
Ready when
The dish is ready when the sweet-and-sour dressing has penetrated the carrots and the flavor has settled.
About this dish
Agrodolce combines the words agro, “sour,” and dolce, “sweet,” and forms a defining flavor structure of Sicilian cooking. During the period of Arab rule that began in the 9th century, the combination of sugar and vinegar took root on the island and was passed down in vegetable and fish dishes.
Sweet-and-sour carrots are an everyday contorno made in homes in Palermo and elsewhere. They are considered best after resting at room temperature to absorb the sweet-and-sour flavors rather than freshly made, making them valued as a dish to prepare ahead in hot weather.
Even today they appear as part of mixed antipasti or alongside fried foods. Their mint aroma and sweet acidity revive the appetite in a dish characteristic of Sicilian summer.
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