Hi friends! When it comes to sweet and savory recipes, I definitely err on the sweet side. However there is a special corner in my heart reserved just for pesto. Beautiful, fresh, savory, garlic-filled pesto. Recently, I did a Pesto Pop-In at VomFASS in Claremont California. VomFASS is a specialty store for oils, vinegars, spices and spirits. I demonstrated four different kinds of pesto, each one highlighting a different oil, using different greens and different nuts for each one. Of the four recipes: Classic Pine Nut and Basil Pesto, Spicy Vegan Carrot Top Pesto, Arugula Pistachio and Pesto, Roasted Pumpkin Seed Pesto, this was the hands down favorite!
I had a small helper when I was preparing this pesto! He helped measure out the carrot tops and then tried to steal a carrot for a snack!
The first step to this delicious pesto, that’s a bit different from making traditional pesto, is the green tops need to be blanched prior to blending them up! Simply take a big pot of water and set it to boiling. Once it’s boiling, toss in the carrot tops and let them blanch for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove them and immediately plunge into a big bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process and keep that beautiful green color in your pesto!
Next step, squeeze as much water out of the greens as possible, then lay them out to dry on a stack of paper towels.
Once the greens are dry, we can build this amazing pesto! The secret is always use the freshest ingredients! HUGE thanks to Melissa’s Produce for supplying all the produce for the Pesto Pop-Up! If you haven’t checked out their produce, you totally need to go to their site. BONUS, they have amazing recipes. The spice element is the Red Pepper Extra Virgin Olive Oil from VomFASS. You could use regular olive oil too (the best quality you can buy please) but the flavor is enhanced so much more by using VomFASS oils. You can order them online too at VomFASS Claremont!
Spicy Vegan Carrot Top Pesto
- November 6, 2018
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Ingredients
- green leafy carrot tops from 1 large or 2 smaller bunches of carrots (you will need enough greens to total 1 cup of blanched greens) Save the carrots themselves for another use.
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 4 green onions (green parts only)
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts
- 2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
- 3 tablespoons vomFASS Red Pepper Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Step 1
- Set a 2 quart saucepan with 4 cups of water over medium-high heat.
- Step 2
- Heat the water to boiling.
- Step 3
- While the water is coming up to temperature, fill a large mixing bowl with water and ice. Set aside.
- Step 4
- Cut the carrot tops from the bunch and blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds.
- Step 5
- Remove carrot tops from the boiling water and plunge into bowl of prepared ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Step 6
- Place carrot tops on several layers of paper towels and dry completely. Measure out enough blanched tops to equal 1 cup of greens.
- Step 7
- Place garlic, lemon juice and zest, mint, onions, walnuts, nutritional yeast and carrot top greens in the working bowl of a food processor and pulse until you have a chunky paste.
- Step 8
- Keep the processor running and slowly drizzle in vomFASS red pepper oil.
- Step 9
- Puree until smooth, adding more oil if needed.
- Step 10
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Adjust for seasonings.
- Step 11
- Use immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 days.
I hope you’ll make this pesto for yourself! It’s a beautiful twist on a classic favorite!
Enjoy!!
