Carrot Recipes

Finally, a good carrot top pesto recipe! — 2020/09/12

This recipe for carrot top pesto (adapted from https://yupitsvegan.com/carrot-top-pesto/) was graciously contributed by Evelyne Pytka, a new farm member. We had been looking for a good carrot top pesto for a few years – this is one we can recommend! Evelyne says she has made it 3 times using toasted walnuts, toasted pine nuts and toasted almonds. Her favourite is with pine nuts. She froze the last batch in serving size portions.

  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 2 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice (about ½ of a lemon)
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon zest (about ½ of a lemon)
  • carrot tops from 1 large or 2 smaller bunches of carrots(yields 1 cup blanched)
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 4 green onions fresh green parts only
  • 1/2 cup toasted nuts : walnuts, almonds, pine nuts (optional)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. To blanch the carrot tops: remove thick stem pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl with ice cubes and cold water in it. Once boiling, add the carrot tops to the pot. Stir occasionally, cooking for about 3 minutes or until bright green and tender. Immediately remove from the pot, drain the hot water, and add the carrot tops to the ice cube bowl to stop the cooking process.
  2. Drain the carrot tops, wring out excess liquid, and spread them on a plate to dry while you do the remaining recipe prep.
  3. Add all of the ingredients from garlic including the nuts (if using) to the food processor. Blend until a chunky paste forms with small bits of carrot tops. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to stop frequently to scrape down the sides. Add the olive oil a tablespoon at a time until combined. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if desired.
  4. To use as a pasta sauce, cook your pasta in salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot. Add the reserved cooking water and carrot top pesto, stir to combine, and cook over low heat until warmed. Serve right away.

This is also delicious as a spread on crackers or crusty bread, or added to your favourite vinaigrette.

Three carrot recipe suggestions – 18/08/2020

  1. This Moroccan Carrot Salad is very simple and packed with great flavors. It is a little trip to North Africa in itself from Suzy Karadsheh and The Mediterranean Dish. Nasser makes something very similar for which we had no recipe — this is the closest (and surest) we found to his improvised (and highly variable) version, courtesy of our friend Laure.
  2. This Carrot Flan with Microgreens and Lemon Vinaigrette from a relatively short-lived but fun blog called Eggs on Sunday by Ithaca NY farmers’ market aficionado and sometimes contributor to Edible Finger Lakes magazine Amy Maltzan is a fun alternative to a more traditional accompaniment for meat or fish. It can also be served by itself as a first course.
  3. Perfect for a fall potluck or a dinner party, this Parsnip and Heirloom Carrot Tart from CBC’s The Goods is a beautiful, cheesy creation which is sure to impress your guests.

Carrot and Turnip (rabiole) Soup – 18/09/2011

This recipe comes from a small gem of a cookbook called Cuisiner les légumes oubliés du Québec written by Anne Samson and published by Les Publications Modus Vivendi which is still available through Renaud Bray. Anne Samson states that the book is the combined result of a love of healthy eating (la bonne bouffe) and an interest in local québécois dishes. A geography and environmental studies graduate, she is an advocate of the buy-local movement which not only favours the local economy but also seeks to reduce carbon emissions related to long-distance food transport.

You’ll find a few other recipes from Cuisiner… on our website, but you should consider adding a copy of the book to your personal cookbook collection if you don’t already own it…the recipes are easy and delicious. In the introduction to her book, the author says her goal was to “revisit certain vegetables or varieties of vegetables forsaken, or altogether forgotten, by consumers in recent years […] that are nevertheless delicious, accessible and affordable” – an objective we share at Arlington Gardens. In fact, we can confirm that you will find most of the vegetables mentioned in her book in our baskets at one time or another during the growing season.

Appetizer for 6 people

  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) butter
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1,25 litre (5 cups) water
  • 375 ml (1 ½ cup) carrots
  • 250 ml (1 cup) turnips (rabioles)
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) rice (uncooked)
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) concentrated chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped parsley
  1. Peel carrots and turnips; cut into pieces of equal size to ensure uniform cooking.
  2. In a pot, melt butter at medium-high heat and sauté onion and garlic until golden.
  3. Add other ingredients, except parsley, and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Purée in food processor. Sprinkle with parsely and serve.