Carrot Top Recipes

Some questions that we had this week: One of our members wrote asking for ways to
incorporate carrot tops here are some recipes for carrots and carrot greens:

Carrots, like radishes and beets will store best with the tops removed. Be sure that the
Carrots are dry and store in a plastic bag. The carrots in our shares are young and tender so the peel is not yet bitter and tough. Wash and eat raw without peeling. Remember most nutrients are in or close to the skin.

Carrot top soup recipe

6 small to medium carrots with tops and roots
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons white rice
2 large leeks, white parts only
2 thyme or lemon thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons chopped dill, parsley, or celery leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper
6 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water

Pull or pluck the lacy leaves of the carrot greens off their stems. You should have between 2-3 cups, loosely packed. Wash, then chop finely. Grate the carrots or, if you want a more refined-looking soup, finely chop them. Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the carrot tops and carrots, rice, leeks, thyme, and dill. Cook for several minutes, turning everything a few times, then season with 1 1/2 teaspoons slat and add the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer until the rice is cooked, 16-18 minutes. Taste for salt, season with pepper, and serve.

Carrot Top Juice (8 oz serving, number of servings: 1)

4 carrots
1 beet with greens

Juice carrots and beets together

Carrot Top and Potato Soup

600ml/1 pint vegetarian stock
½ onion, peeled, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped
1 bunch green carrot tops, chopped
1 star anise
½ potato, peeled, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)

Pour the stock into a medium saucepan, bring to a boil and add the onion, garlic, carrot tops, star anise and potato. Season to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the potato is tender. Remove the star anise. Roughly blend the remaining mixture with a blender.
Top with a tsp of Dijon mustard, if desired.

Carrot Top Tea

This is such an unbelievably delicious drink and great for detoxifying and strengthening the kidneys. This teas is said to be excellent for anyone suffering from urinary tract complaints. Take a handful of carrot leaves (home grown are always best but shop bought carrots can be used as long as you thoroughly wash then to remove any chemical residues), tear them up and put them in a tea pot. Pour over boiling water and leave to steep until the tea is cold. Strain to remove the leaves and put them on the compost heap, then place the tea in the fridge to chill. It will last well for about 3 days if it hasn’t all been drunk before then. Carrots store best with their tops removed so making tea from the leaves is an excellent use of resources. Young leaves can also be used in salads.

Carrot Top Soup

Yield: 6,
1 c Black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
1⁄2 c Dried split peas
1⁄2 c Pearl barley
3 qt water
1 T Cold-pressed olive oil (or Use your favorite fat free Liquid)
1⁄2 large Onion chopped
2 medium Carrots sliced
4 Carrot tops (greens only Stems removed, chopped)
1 large Mustard greens chopped
1 Leeks sliced
1 c Green beans
broken into sections
1 large Potato, unpeeled, diced
1⁄2 Bay leaf
1⁄4 t thyme
1⁄4 t tarragon
1⁄4 t Savory
1 tsp Salt
1 pinch Pepper

1. In a large pot, place the black-eyed peas, split peas, pearl barley,=20 and water and simmer until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes.
2. In a skillet heat the olive oil (or other liquid).
3. Add the onions and saute, covered, 10 minutes or until the onions begin to brown.
4. Turn off the heat under the onions and pour about ½ c of the bean cooking water into the skillet and mix well.
5. When the beans are cooked, add the onions and all the other ingredients to the bean pot and cook another 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
6. Serve in large soup bowls with generous servings of fresh whole wheat or black bread.

Carrot Greens, Parsley & Hazelnut Pesto for Pasta

Great way to use up those carrot greens.
¾ cup hazelnuts (or mixture of hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts)
1/8 cup organic carrot leaves
chopped 1/8 cup organic parsley
chopped 1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lemon
¼-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup fresh-grated parmesan cheese generous pinch of sea salt.

Toast the nuts at 325ºF for a few minutes to bring out the flavour. In a food processor, puree the nuts, carrot leaves, parsley leaves, lemon juice and garlic.
Pour in cheese, salt, and olive oil, starting with ¼ cup. Blend, and increase olive oil if the pesto is too thick. Cook pasta (450g) until al dente, drain and toss with pesto while still hot.
(Excellent with a few handfuls of cooked pole beans thrown in as you toss with the pesto.)

 

Celery root salad with carrot top vinaigrette

Total time: 20 minutes – Servings: 4
1 (1 1/4- to 1 1/2-pound) celery root
1/3cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped carrot tops
1/4 teaspoon salt

Peel the celery root with a large chef’s knife. Cut it in half, then cut each half in thin slices. Stack the slices and cut them into thin rectangular sticks. It’s easiest to do this in 3 or 4 batches. Place in a mixing bowl. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in a blender and purée at high speed until emulsified, about 30 seconds. Add the carrot tops and the salt and purée just until they are finely chopped and still visible in specks in the pale green dressing, 30 seconds. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Pour the dressing over the celery root and stir gently to combine. The salad should be very lightly dressed, with flecks of green clinging to the celery root sticks. Transfer to a serving bowl. This salad can be made up to an hour in advance and held at room temperature. The celery root will soften slightly and become silkier.

Each serving:215 calories; 2 grams protein; 13 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 18 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 277 mg. sodium

 

Whole carrot salad – Tabouleh style

A delicious way to use the leaves of carrots – serves 2-4, depending on the size of carrots

3 carrots with their leaves
4 fresh mint leaves (can be replaced with another herb, to taste)
1 hand full of raisins
1 dash olive oil
1 dash lemon juice
1 pinch salt

Chop the carrot roots (with their peel on if they are organic) in the food processor (pulse) until they have a couscous texture. Put aside in a bowl. Chop finely the carrot leaves with a knife, like you would do with parsley. Remove the hard stems if there are any. Add to bowl with the carrot “couscous”, raisins and chopped mint leaves. Season to taste with lemon juice, olive oil and salt. The carrot leaves taste delicious, so don’t hesitate to don’t hesitate to put in more. Rom

Adapted from: Carrot Museum.com