Roasted Carrots in a Bag with Herby Butter

A brilliant way to serve carrots on Christmas Day for large numbers as they need no looking after and keep piping hot until the last minute. The oven temperature is quite flexible so simply put in the bottom shelf of your oven with whatever else you are cooking and give them about an hour.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C, gas mark 4.
2. Peel the carrots and cut into even sized batons.
3. Put the butter in a small bowl and add the shallot, garlic, thyme and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Mash with a fork until well mixed together.
4. Take a large double sheet of parchment paper (or use a single sheet in tin foil), put half of the butter on the base of the parchment and pile the carrot batons in the middle.
5. Dot with the herby butter and drizzle over a couple of tablespoons of water, then season with freshly ground black pepper. Fold in the sides of the parcel to enclose the carrots by bringing up the sides, folding over and twisting the edges.
6. Put on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour until the carrots are completely tender and beginning to caramelise around the edges of the parcel.
7. Cover with foil and keep warm in a low oven until needed.