I have a confession. I don’t really like salads. The leafy kind, anyway. They’re wonderful every so often, especially when there’s a good balance of texture and flavor and a worthwhile dressing, but I’ve never been the kind of person that can enjoy a salad with every meal. I love greens, and I certainly love vegetables, but there’s just something about looking at a big bowl of leaves that leaves me feeling overwhelmed.
With that being the case, it’s no help when someone suggests a salad as a way to use beet, radish, turnip, or carrot greens. If you’re a salad person, that’s a no brainer. But if you have more greens than you can possibly eat in that fashion, you can’t just make more salads. And as noble a cause as it may be, you’re not going to get more Americans to start paying more attention to these ignored greens by telling them to eat more salads.
This week, my focus was on carrot greens. I had previously made a lemon vinaigrette with carrot greens for a raw beet and carrot salad, which came out delicious and encouraged me to try more. However, that vinaigrette was only good for using a couple tablespoons of greens. Carrots have been a regular player in my CSA basket, so I’ve really been racking my brain and the internet for non-salad way to use them. Making pesto seemed like a cop-out, but then I had the idea to add some to a chimichurri. I really like my parsley in chimichurri though, so I merely accented it with the carrot greens, which left the rest free to go ahead and try a pesto.
Carrot greens can be a little tough and bitter, so before using them in either sauce, I blanched them. This worked better than I expected, softening both their flavor and texture just enough to maintain their distinctive grassy notes, but not making them blend into unpalatable mush. Another nice bonus I’ve noticed is that carrot greens don’t oxidize the way basil does, and I’ve had no problem keeping my pesto a gorgeous green!
On a side note, I realize a recipe like this won’t have the most reach. It’s really a shame that carrots don’t generally come with their greens attached, unless you buy from a farmers market or are fortunate enough to be a CSA member. This is done to prolong the carrots’ freshness, as the greens will continue to draw moisture from the carrots as long as they’re attached. Still, there’s a massive source of nutrition that’s just…going where? Compost, hopefully? Even beets and radishes frequently keep their greens. Carrots could really be a poster child for everything that’s wrong with the American relationship to food.
For the chimichurri, I included most of the main stem of the greens, which can be quite tough, because I wanted the added crunch in the texture of the sauce. I removed the main stalks for the pesto though, so that it would have a finer, smoother texture. You can do as you please, but if you really want to go no-waste, the stems that don’t make it into the pesto can be saved for adding to stocks.
Note: To blanch greens, add the carrot tops to a pot of boiling water. Boil briefly, 30-60 seconds, just until the greens brighten and barely soften. (They may look a bit more wilted than they really are). Drain and rinse well under cold water, or better yet, shock in an ice bath. Dry well in a spinner or laid out on paper towels.
Carrot-Green Chimichurri
1 bunch parsley
approx. 1/3 cup carrot greens with stems, blanched
4 garlic cloves
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ C red wine vinegar
up to ½ C olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Add the first 5 ingredients to a food processor and pulse to combine. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil. I like my chimichurri a little oily, but you may prefer less. Season with salt and pepper. Let sit for 2 hours or so (in the fridge is fine) before using. Let come to room temperature a little before using as the oil may solidify somewhat in a very cold fridge.
Carrot-Green and Walnut Pesto
Carrot greens from 1 large bunch of carrots, blanched, and main stems removed (approx 2 cups greens)
½ C walnuts, toasted
4 garlic cloves
½ – ¾ C olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Add the greens, walnuts, and garlic to a food processor and pulse to combine. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Honestly I didn’t measure after 1/3 cup and just poured straight from the bottle, but you can adjust the oil amount according to your liking or whatever the pesto needs to get to the right consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spoiled Foodie 