Carrot top chimichurri is a delicious way of using the leaves of the humble vegetable and embracing zero waste. Here’s how to make it.
Carrot Top – Photo © The Gourmantic Garden
Growing your own food gives you the opportunity to live more sustainably, to eat more sustainably, to reduce waste, carbon footprint as well as inspire creativity by discovering new ways of using home-grown produce.
If you grow carrots in your edible garden, be it in the ground, in raised garden beds or in re-purposed ex council recycling crates as I do, you can’t beat the pleasure you derive from pulling out carrots from the soil. There’s something earthy and primal about it, and highly addictive in a very good way. No sooner I pull out carrots, that I want to sow new seed.
Whether you like carrots raw, juiced or roasted, it begs the question: what do you do with carrot tops.
Before I started edible gardening, I had no use for carrot greens. Now that I grow them without using chemicals or pesticides, it’s a shame to let these leafy greens go to waste or feed them to the worm farm. The flavoursome leaves can be used in smoothies or added to carrot juice and used in cocktails. They can also be made into pesto. Another way which I prefer is to make Chimichurri sauce and let the vegetal carrot top flavour shine. Here’s my recipe.
Carrot Top Chimichurri Recipe
Carrot Top Chimichurri – Photo © The Gourmantic Garden
Ingredients
- 1 cup carrot tops, washed and coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- sea salt to taste
Method
- Combine the carrot tops, oregano leaves and garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Transfer the mixture to a medium sized bowl and stir in the olive oil and red wine vinegar.
- Season with sea salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- For best flavour, use it within a day or two. Carrot top chimichurri keeps at best for 4-5 days in the fridge.
Carrot top chimichurri pairs well with white fish, chicken and grilled meats.
If you make this recipe, don’t forget to tag @the.gourmanticgarden on instagram.
