Rüebli is the Swiss German word for carrot, which in high German is Karotten (or sometimes Möhre, which I learned from Sam who loves Helge Schneider and occasionally forces me to watch him perform his notorious carrot song. Tu ma lieber die Möhrchen, indeed).

Add some Speck, bacon, and you’ve got a perfect side dish.

There are differing versions of the dish—many of my older recipe books, including those from Marianne Kaltenbach and Rosina Gschwind, simmer the bacon and carrots with stock and then pop potatoes on top, for a one-pot meal.

My version follows more closely with Annemarie Wildeisen, although simplified, roasting the carrots and bacon in the oven.

500 g carrots

300 g bacon

Birnenhonig, honey, or maple syrup

fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 200 C / 400 F / gas mark 6.

Wash, peel, and trim the carrots.

Wrap the carrots in bacon and place in a baking dish.

Warm the Birnenhonig in a small saucepan to make it spreadable and, using a pastry brush, brush the carrots and bacon (if you are using maple syrup, you can skip the warming and just brush it on).

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, then take out the dish, flip the carrots and brush with more Birnenhonig.

Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the bacon is crispy.

• Depending on their size, the carrots generally still have a bit of bite to them after roasting. If you prefer a softer carrot, you can cut smaller pieces (diagonally in half or thirds).