Caramelised Vegetables

Scrub, top and tail carrots, and either leave whole if they are small, or cut into rounds. Cover with cold water in a pan, with a lump or tsp of sugar and some butter or grapeseed oil. Bring to the boil and cook uncovered until the water has boiled away and the carrots are just beginning to catch. Watch it carefully. According to Lady Kennet, this works brilliantly with fennel as well. "It caught rather seriously," she says. "The fennel 'strings' were left on the bottom of the pan, crisp and caramelised and absolutely delicious. I can't work out what they might be for - a cook's perk, I think," she adds.