Portuguese Sweet-Sour Carrots

This recipe requires an overnight rest, but makes for a wonderful side dish for anything grilled. It is an adaptation of what would normally be pickled, but an overnight rest in the fridge gives similar flavor results without the fuss.

Sweet-Sour Carrots (Conserva de Cenoura)

1 Tbsp salt
6 medium carrots,  peeled and cut into sticks
1 garlic clove, minced
3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ tsp chopped oregano or thyme leaves
1 tsp sweet paprika
¼ tsp anise seeds, lightly crushed
freshly ground black pepper

1. Have a bowl of ice water at the ready. Bring a pot of water to boil and add the salt. Drop in the carrots and blanch them until just crisp-tender about 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the carrots from the pot and place into the ice bath to stop the cooking and cool. Drain in a colander
2. Whisk the garlic, oil, vinegar, herbs, and spices in a medium bowl. Add the carrots and toss to combine. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
3. To serve, remove the carrots from the fridge and let come to slightly cooler than room temperature. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with a pinch of anise seeds and more chopped parsley, if desired.

Adapted from The New Portuguese Table by David Leite