Carrot Top Pesto

Carrot top pesto on toast

This must be made with very fresh carrot tops. The greens are naturally quite bitter and become tough when limp. Remove tops by cutting through the stem, not the carrot itself. Store carrots in an airtight container with a paper towel.

1 bunch of carrot tops, largest stems removed
⅓ c. pine nuts, walnuts or sunflower seeds, toasted
¼ c. grated parmesan
½ t. salt
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. red wine vinegar
1-2 T.. lemon juice
1 t. Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

Salad spinner, if available
Food processor

Rinse and thoroughly dry the carrot tops. Use a salad spinner if you have one. Rough chop the greens and set aside.

Pulse nuts in food processor until finely ground. Add parmesan and pulse to combine. Add chopped carrot tops, pulse until finely ground. Add salt and red pepper flake. With food processor running, drizzle in olive oil. Add enough oil for pesto to move freely and texture is fairly smooth. Add vinegar and lemon juice, pulse to combine. Taste for seasoning and acid. Carrot tops are quite bitter, so you may need to make a couple adjustments- adding salt ⅛ t. at a time and acid ½ t. at a time.

Transfer to serving dish or storage container, drizzle with olive oil and press plastic wrap down to avoid oxidization. Serve when chilled, with cheese and crackers. It can also be served with crudité or on toast. I recommend a Toscano cheese, especially if you can find one soaked in red wine.

Removing carrot tops before refrigeration will extend the carrots’ storage life. A great example of vegetable butchery, this recipe uses a usually-discarded part of the vegetable.

Yellow, orange + white carrots with their tops