Carrot Top Pesto

 

Carrot Top Pesto

One reward of earth to table learning is discovering that some things usually tossed aside and wasted can be a delicious source of nutrition and taste. An example is this pesto you can spread on crostinis, use as a dip or drizzle over your favorite noodles or roast.

Makes 6-8 Servings
Ingredients:
2 cups carrot tops
¼ cup fresh parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
¼ cup sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash and chop carrot tops. Place all ingredients in a food processor 

and pulse until desired consistency. Spread on crostini and garnish 

with additional shredded parmesan cheese.

Note:  Over pulsing creates a compact mixture.

Carrot Top Pesto

Carrot Top Pesto

Our Easter dinner included roasted tri-colored carrots served with this pesto. So tasty I wanted to share this recipe.  Vibrant, herby carrot top pesto with fresh basil and hidden carrot tops make a delicious pesto  So tasty with grains, roasted vegetables, chicken, and more. Ready in just 5 minutes!  If you’ve made it before and thought “Hmm, that’s resourceful, but I wouldn’t make it again,” we urge you to give this version a try! Thanks to a little help from fresh basil, it’s just mildly earthy and worthy of saving in your recipe box!  Thank You Jennifer for sharing your dish and the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup loosely packed carrot tops, tough stems removed   

    (~1 small or 1/2 medium bunch yields ~1 cup or 20 g)

1 ½ cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves, large stems removed

1/3 cup pine nuts (or sub walnuts, pistachios, or cashews)

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 medium cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus more as needed)

1-2 Tbsp water (plus more as needed)

Directions:

Remove the carrot greens from a bunch of carrots, rinse them, and choose the freshest looking greens. Discard the rest (or save for bunnies — they love them!).

Add all your pesto ingredients except the water to a food processor (or small blender) and process until it's broken down into a chunky mixture. Add water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time until creamy and dippable, keeping in mind water will dilute the flavor, so avoid adding too much (we used 2 tablespoons total).

Taste and adjust as needed, adding more olive oil for richness, lemon juice for brightness, basil if too thin, or water to reach desired consistency.

Enjoy with roasted carrots, potatoes, pasta, and more! Leftover pesto will keep stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, but will lose some of its bright green color.

Cauliflower Steak With Carrot 

Miso Puree And Carrot-top Pesto

Looking for a vegetarian steak alternative?  This roasted cauliflower steak is easy to make and is packed with flavor thanks to the top pesto!

Ingredients:

Cauliflower Steaks

2 heads of cauliflower
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
dash of pepper
Carrot Miso Dressing
4 oz orange carrots , cut into even pieces
2 Tbsp white miso
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper , to taste
Carrot Top Pesto
1 1/2 cups carrot tops
1 garlic clove , peeled
3 Tbsp pecans
3/4 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup asiago cheese
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil + more for drizzlings
Directions

For the Cauliflower Steaks:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the green leaves from head of cauliflower and trim the stems. Cut 1 1/2 inch thick steaks (I got 4 from two heads plus a bunch of florets which I saved for another use).

Transfer slices to a baking sheet and brush olive oil on each side of each piece. Sprinkle spices on all steaks and then cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Bake for 5 minutes, remove foil, and bake for an additional 10. Flip steaks and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the tops are browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the Carrot Top Pesto:

Combine carrot tops, garlic, pecans, basil leaves, and asiago cheese in a high speed blender or food processor. Pulse until everything is chopped into small pieces. Turn the machine on and drizzle in 1/4 cup olive oil to incorporate. If the mixture is too dry, drizzle more olive oil until you reach your desired consistency.

For the Carrot Miso Dressing:
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Salt and add in carrot pieces. Let blanch for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add ice to a large mixing bowl and add water to create an ice bath. Once the carrots are ready, use tongs to transfer from the boiling water to ice bath.

Once carrots are cooled, transfer to a high speed blender along with miso, vinegar, yogurt, olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper. Blend until completely combined and a thick dressing forms. You want the dressing to be thin enough that you can spread it but quick enough that it won't run. If it's too thick, add 1 Tbsp of water at a time until you've received a desired consistency.
To serve:

Spread carrot miso dressing on a serving platters and place cauliflower steaks over it. Top with pesto, a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Serve right away.