How many times have you thrown away those bushy green tops? Me, too—but no more. Now I make this deliciously peppery, textured pesto. I serve it as a condiment with roasted spring carrots, or roasted new potatoes. Or spread it on crostini with a dab of white cheese. Be sure you have fresh, bright green carrot tops. And if you have no basil to add to the mix, try parsley or cilantro and a few fennel greens instead.

March 15, 2016

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 2 Cup(s)
  • 4 ounces trimmed carrot tops (from 1 or 2 bunches), big stems trimmed off
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 ounce (¼ cup) walnuts
  • 1 ounce fresh basil leaves, chopped (½ cup)
  • ½ ounce fresh mint leaves, chopped (½ cup), plus more to taste
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Pull the fronds of the carrot tops off the stems and discard the stems. Carrot tops have a firm, chewy texture, but the stems are tough. Wash and spin-dry the greens.

Pulse the garlic and walnuts briefly in a food processor, then add the various greens and the salt and pulse again, scraping down the sides of the container as needed, until the greens are finely chopped. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and process the pesto until it is smooth.

Related Stories & Recipes

One Feast Fits All

A Brief (Personal) History of Hospitality The way we eat is changing—that’s not news anymore. I remember when, as a budding vegetarian, I couldn’t eat out in Los Angeles—in Los Angeles!—except at a...

Lemon Risotto with Sauteed Fresh Fava Beans

Although the ingredients are simple, I think of this as a luxury dish: fresh fava beans are a seasonal delicacy, and shelling this many rates as an act of culinary devotion. The risotto is aromatic wi...

Prawns Sautéed with Garlic Gambas À La Plancha

Prawns sautéed in garlic is one of those classic, simple dishes found all over the Mediterranean, from the tapas bars of Spain to the mezze tables of the Middle East. You can sauté prawns or large shr...

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 2 Cup(s)
  • 4 ounces trimmed carrot tops (from 1 or 2 bunches), big stems trimmed off
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 ounce (¼ cup) walnuts
  • 1 ounce fresh basil leaves, chopped (½ cup)
  • ½ ounce fresh mint leaves, chopped (½ cup), plus more to taste
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice