Don’t toss those carrot tops – make this tasty, nutritious pesto

Tearing off and tossing (or composting) the greens on a bunch of carrots is practically a reflex for most of us. It was for me until recently, when I discovered that carrot greens are more than edible – they’re downright tasty, and nutritious, too.

With an intensely carrot-y flavour and aroma, carrot greens possess the pleasant earthy bitterness common for leafy greens but with a feathery texture that feels like an herb. Nutritionally, they’re rich in vitamin A, potassium and health-protective plant compounds. To keep them, remove them from the carrots and store separately, in a bag in the fridge, as you would other greens. If you keep them attached, the leaves will draw moisture and nutrients from the root and the carrots themselves will not last as long (that’s one reason they are often removed at the supermarket).

You can use carrot greens as you would parsley or coriander, sprinkling them on a dish as a garnish, or tossing them in salads or salsas; or you can cook them as you would beet greens or kale, sauteed with garlic and oil and a splash of vinegar.

For this recipe, I turned a whole head of carrot tops into a lovely, lemony pesto, using the same core ingredients as a classic basil pesto, and including fresh basil leaves to add a layer of sweet, floral essence to balance the earthy flavour of the carrot greens.

Use it like you would any pesto, to toss with pasta, spread on sandwiches or toasts, or to drizzle over cooked potatoes, eggs, chicken breast and so on. It’s a sauce that makes the most of an excellent ingredient that has been at your fingertips all along, just waiting to be discovered rather than discarded.

Carrot top pesto

Don’t toss those carrot tops! They are as tasty and nutritious as other greens and can be used in the same way – to garnish dishes, sprinkle in salads or for sautes and sauces. Here, they are the base of a lovely, lemony pesto which also includes basil leaves for a layer of sweet, floral essence to balance the earthy flavour of the carrot greens. Use it like you would any pesto: toss with pasta, spread on sandwiches or toasts, or drizzle over cooked potatoes, eggs, chicken breast, and so on.

Storage notes: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Total time: 10 minutes

Serves: 6 to 8; about 300ml

Ingredients:

45g pine nuts

2 small cloves garlic, peeled

100g lightly packed, well washed and dried carrot top greens (from 1 450g bunch of carrots)

30g lightly packed fresh basil leaves, plus more as needed (see note)

45g freshly grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp water

½ tsp fine salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

120ml extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

In a small, dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the pine nuts, shaking the pan frequently, until fragrant and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly.

In a food processor, process the pine nuts with garlic until minced. Add the carrot tops, basil, cheese, lemon juice, water, salt and pepper and process until finely minced. With the machine running, slowly pour the oil in a steady stream through the feed tube and process until well blended.

Note: If your bunch of carrots yields less than 100g of greens, add as much basil as you need to get a total of 120g of greens.

Nutrition information per serving (2 to 3 tablespoons), based on 8 | Calories: 197; total fat: 19g; saturated fat: 3g; cholesterol: 3mg; sodium: 219mg; carbohydrates: 3g; dietary fibre: 1g; sugar: 1g; protein: 3g.

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

© The Washington Post