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Recipes for the School Garden

CARROT TOP PEPITA PESTO
​(Nut free)

Experience the vibrant flavors of the garden with our newest Cooking From The Garden Recipe: Nut-Free Carrot Top Pepita Pesto. Made from freshly harvested carrots and their nutritious greens, this blend of earthy carrot tops, garlic, pepitas, and zesty lemon creates a versatile dip that complements crunchy veggies or serves as a delightful pasta sauce.
Recipe created by Nina Anakar for SGN's Farm-to-School Program.

Recipe-

Harvest: Carrots, Carrot Tops
Serves: 12-15 as a dip

Supplies 
Scissors, Knives, Cutting Board
Colander, bowl, cold water and kitchen towels for washing veg 
Blender or Mortar & Pestle
Plates or bowls, spoons and napkins for serving
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Ingredients 
2 bunches of carrot tops from 2 bunches of freshly harvested carrots (about 6 cups loosely packed)
 3 large garlic cloves or green garlic tops, halved
1 1/2 cup raw pepitas 
 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
 2 tsp sea salt, more to taste if needed
Zest of 1 lemon 
juice of 2-3 lemons
Directions 
  • Remove tops from the carrots. Wash the carrots, slice them in to dippable pieces, and set aside. 
  • Place carrot tops in a large bowl of ice cold water and slosh them around to remove the dirt. Drain the bowl and rinse in a few changes of cold water until the water runs clear. Remove carrot fronds from the thicker stems (thicker stems will be too fibrous). Set aside. 
  • Peel garlic, zest and juice lemon, and add them in to either your mortar and pestle or your blender. Give them a quick pulse with the lemon juice and a light pinch of salt until garlic is roughly chopped. 
  • Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the olive oil) and mix everything together until you have a fairly smooth sauce. If using a blender, pulse it lightly, so that it comes out as a rough blend (if you over blend, it will heat up the greens, causing them to oxidize and come out as a gummy paste- so this is a good time to practice gentle mixing or blending!) 
  • Gently mix in the olive oil, streaming it in gradually so that it has time to incorporate. Taste the pesto and see if it needs more fresh lemon juice or salt.
  • Serve with carrots and/or other crunchy garden veggies, like peas and radishes. Add a lemon squeeze and pinch of salt to the veggies, and enjoy them with the pesto as a dip. You can also use it in pasta as you would a traditional pesto, topped with some black pepper and parmesan cheese. 
Notes & Lesson Applications 
  • You can make this recipe with many different types of garden herbs and greens, like kale, collards, parsley, cilantro, and chives!
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