"Carrot tops are not actually good tasting! Why do people think that? There is no need to rescue them, they make great compost. Just use kale or arugula or herbs!"
Many thanks to the person who commented the above on my pitch for this recipe in a recent Recipe Development Workshop. Let me tell you why I disagree.
I'm a carrot connoisseur. I go through these bad boys like a rabbit on a rampage. And with my apartment's lack of composting capabilities, I'm usually left with a pile of carrot tops that leaves me wondering, “Could these grassy greens be transformed into something greater?” They sure can.
Enter: pesto, the culinary chameleon. Now, let's talk about pesto for a second. If you learn one thing today, let it be this — pesto is not a recipe, it's a technique. See this post by
for a detailed breakdown of the technique plus a fool proof pesto ratio.It's the culinary equivalent of a jam session, a freestyle rap. You've got your nuts, (sometimes) your cheese, your oil, and your herbs, all coming together in a harmonious blend. Personally, I don’t do cheese for health reasons, so I upped the quantity of nuts to replicate that creamy, dreamy texture.
If you haven't met Meyer lemons yet, you're missing out on a little slice of citrus heaven. This citrus, with their thin, edible skin (yes, edible skin) and a flavor that's a beautiful marriage of lemon and mandarin orange, add a sweet and floral kick. It's like a little ray of sunshine in your pesto.
I will say — Meyers can be very hard to find outside of subtropical and temperate climates. If you can’t find them, that’s ok, just omit the peel but still use the zest and juice as written. In California, they’re so plentiful this time of year that people will leave buckets of them at the end of their driveway for neighbors to help themselves.
To all the carrot top haters out there, I say this: don't toss those tops just yet. It’s a fun way to increase the plant diversity of your diet and waste less food.
Carrot Top, Meyer Lemon, & Pistachio Pesto
Yield: 1.5 cups of pesto
Prep: 15 mins
Cook time: n/a
Ingredients:
¾ cup roasted & lightly salted pistachios, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 packed cup finely chopped carrot greens
1 packed cup finely chopped parsley leaves, woody stems removed
¼ cup scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon, seeds removed, finely diced
½ tsp fine salt
12 twists of freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
½ cup of your favorite extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons ice cold water
Instructions
In a food processor, combine ¾ cup of roughly chopped pistachios and one clove of grated garlic and process until the nuts are super finely ground, about 30 seconds.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add 1 packed cup of finely chopped carrot greens, 1 packed cup of finely chopped and de-stemmed parsley leaves, ¼ cup finely chopped scallions (white and green parts), 2 teaspoons Meyer lemon zest, 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of deseeded Meyer lemon flesh and peel, ½ teaspoon fine salt, 12 twists of freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar.
With the motor running, stream in ½ cup extra virgin olive oil until an emulsification forms, about 60 seconds. Taste pesto and adjust salt and/or acid if you want. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons ice cold water until pesto is lightened in color and further emulsified and homogenous, about 10-20 seconds.
Storage: transfer pesto to an airtight container, drizzle a spoonful of evoo on top, press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pesto, then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The extra evoo helps it not dry out.