Carrot-Top Pesto with Raw Carrot “Pasta”

There’s nothing quite like fresh produce. In the summer is when there is a great abundance of quality fruits and vegetables for all to consume. After walking the aisles of the grocery store to hunt down ingredients for my icebox cake recipe, I realized I should also find something to make for dinner. I was a little tired and fed up with grocery shopping at that point, with no clue what I wanted to eat. I picked up and put back at least five different things. Finally I found myself in the produce aisle and my eyes landed on this bunch of carrots. My decision had been made. Naturally, they sat in my fridge for a few days before I decided to finally eat them, but now I’ve got a great new recipe for you that showcases the whole vegetable in all of its glory.

For the carrot-top pesto I started with a basic pesto recipe and made a couple of minor adjustments. The first—and most important—being the swap of the carrot tops for the basil. I also traded in almonds for pine nuts because they were what I had in my pantry. Then I took a detour from my usual repertoire to make a recipe that was not only vegetarian and gluten-free, but also raw. And not “raw” from the 90’s vernacular as in “cool” or “dope”—I mean “raw” as in “uncooked.” This doesn’t mean that I’m going to be the next raw foods evangelist, but I wanted to try something different for me. I turned the carrots into “pasta” with a vegetable peeler and tossed it with some of the carrot-top pesto for the raw, vegetarian, and gluten-free recipe. An added bonus is that the whole meal will take you less than 15 minutes!

Carrot-Top Pesto:

• Leaves and some stems from 1 bunch carrots (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup roasted almonds
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Yield: about 1 cup

Procedure:

1. Add the carrot tops, almonds, and garlic to a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Pour in the olive oil and puree until fairly smooth.
2. Transfer the carrot-top puree to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
3. You can store it in the refrigerator for a few days if not used right away.

Raw Carrot “Pasta”:

Use a vegetable peeler to peel 1 bunch carrots into thin strips to form the “noodles”. (I ate the carrot scraps as a chef’s snack.) Toss with enough of the carrot-top pesto to coat the carrot “pasta” evenly (I used 1/2 cup). Serve.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings