This is a relatively small side dish, but it can absolutely be doubled or tripled in a larger dish.
Prepare your carrots: Your biggest enemy here is a bag of soaked baby carrots. But the ease is worth the effort. Drain the carrots (there’s a puddle at the bottom of the bag waiting for water to splash), place in a bowl lined with a few paper towels, and let sit for 10 minutes. Quarter the carrots lengthwise and return them to the towel-lined bowl while you work on the other elements.
Make the brown butter crumbs: Melt 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of butter in a large skillet over medium heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter has brown spots all over and smells dreamy. Add the breadcrumbs and 2 pinches of salt to the pan and toast, stirring until golden brown. Scoop out the crumbs and set aside.
Make the sauce. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons (45 grams) of butter and brown in the same way. Once browned, turn the heat to medium-high and add the shallots. Cook until shallots soften and begin to brown on the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add the flour and stir until the flour disappears. It looks like a lumpy paste. Add the soup, stirring until the flour mixture is dispersed. Bring the sauce to a boil and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond brand; I start with half as much as other brands) and plenty of black pepper. The sauce looks too thick, but this is intentional. Roasting carrots releases more moisture. Add carrots, mix and cook together for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of herbs and stir.
Assemble and bake: Transfer carrots and their sauce to a 1-quart baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until carrots are tender (prick with a knife or toothpick to ensure there is no resistance). Increase oven temperature to 400°F (205°C). Briefly transfer the dish to a baking dish. Remove foil, add capers and stir. Mix the cheese and toasted breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. To add more color to the top, run the pan briefly under the broiler in the oven.
To serve: Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon herbs and toss to serve.
Prepare ahead of time: You can prepare the dish up to the point of putting it in the oven and let it rest for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. You can also pause just before adding the cheese and breadcrumbs for the final sear. Ideally this should be done just before serving. Leftovers can be reheated in a 350 degree oven.
