SERVES 4 / ACTIVE TIME: 20 MIN / TOTAL TIME: 3½ HRS (including freezing time)
Who says that vegetables have to be savory? I like to use them to make an icy granita to use as a base for dessert, as in pairing with a light yogurt cloud and some sweet and softened fruits. Because the granita method uses vegetables that are chopped, pureed, and then frozen, it is good for rough or tougher textured vegetables. Carrot tops work beautifully, as do beet tops, wheatgrass, and sorrel. In fact, I use this recipe to make a wheatgrass granita for my Fallen Fruit Dessert, here.
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 cups chopped carrot tops (or other vegetable tops)
1 cup loosely packed chopped fresh parsley, including stems (if you have less or more parsley, it is fine; don’t go out and buy an extra bunch if you only have enough for ½ cup)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons vodka (optional, to keep the granita from turning to ice if you plan to store it longer than a day)
1 cup Whipped Yogurt (here)
10–15 Carrot “Raisins” (here), or other dehydrated fruit
In a medium pot, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the carrot tops and parsley, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 3 minutes, until just cooked. Transfer to a blender, add the lemon juice, and blend for a few minutes to a smooth puree.
Transfer to a shallow metal container at least 8 × 8 × 2 inches, add the vodka (if using), and freeze for 3 to 3½ hours, scraping periodically with a fork so that the granita is evenly frozen.
To serve, crush any remaining lumps in the granita. Fill each of 4 wide shallow bowls with ¼ cup whipped yogurt and dot the yogurt with the carrot raisins. Top each with 3 heaping tablespoons of the granita.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS / TIME: 15 MIN
This is a nutty pesto with chewiness and texture. Don’t puree it.
1 packed cup finely chopped carrot tops (from about 6 carrots; see Notes)
½ cup packed fresh parsley leaves, wilted is fine
½ cup finely grated Gruyère cheese
½ cup toasted salted walnuts, chopped
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon sugar (see Notes)
Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.
MAKES 1 CUP / TIME: 10 MIN
This recipe crosses the definitional line from pesto over to salsa verde. (A pesto uses a nut; a salsa verde has something briny or pickly in it.) The secret ingredient here is pickle juice. I like the strong sourness of the juice left over in the dill pickle jar—not for drinking on its own, but for the sour flavor that balances the carrot tops.
1 packed cup chopped carrot tops (from about 6 carrots; see Note)
¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans
½ cup sour pickle juice
¼ cup sunflower or other neutral oil
Pulse all the ingredients in a blender to a smooth puree.
NOTE:
Since the carrot top leaves are very flat, a large amount will pack down to a much smaller volume once chopped. The sugar helps to reduce any bitterness from the rough greens.