The carrot top “pesto” isn’t really that pesto-ish to my mind as there is no garlic in it, or basil, but there you have it. Roasting the carrots on sprigs of oregano will give them a lighter aroma and flavor than chopping the herbs and putting it all over the carrots, and this way the more delicate topping will come through without interference. Serving these carrots on sautéed spinach will point up the sweetness of the carrots, but is entirely optional as the carrots are fine on their own.
INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch chantenay carrots, tops removed and used for “pesto”, well-scrubbed Light flavored olive oil as needed Salt (large flake type such as Maldon or Sel de Camargue) and pepper to taste Several sprigs of oregano for roasting the carrots on Carrot Top “Pesto” as needed (see recipe) 1 bunch of spinach, trimmed and thoroughly washed 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon red wine vinegarMETHOD:
Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan just large enough to hold the carrots without crowding with foil. Put the sprigs of oregano on the sheet pan.
Lightly oil the carrots and rub all over to ensure they are evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper and place on the oregano on the sheet pan.
Roast for 30 minutes and check. They should be softening and starting to turn golden and wrinkle a bit. Return to the oven and cook 15 minutes more. Check for tenderness. When a knife will pierce a carrot through they are done. At this point you can decide how done you like them-you can cook them so they are just done, and they will have some chew to them and a bright flavor, or you can cook them longer until they are quite tender inside a wrinkly jacket. The flavor will be deeper and sweeter like a sweet potato, and the texture will be similar. (Cooking them longer at lower temperatures yields an appealing texture that reminds one of fruit leather, and is another way to do these.) Depending on the diameter and water content of the carrots, the cooking time can vary from 45 minutes to 1 hour and change*. Cook the carrots until done to your liking.
10 minutes before the carrots are done, heat a 10 inch sauté pan over medium heat. Film with oil. Allow to heat up so oil is shivering in the pan. When oil is hot add the garlic and cook until aromatic and tender. Add the spinach and turn with tongs to coat with the oil and garlic. Cook gently until spinach is wilted and tender. Drizzle the vinegar over the spinach and cook a little more. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm. The spinach should be ready just after the carrots are.
Remove the carrots from the oven. Use tongs to place equal amounts of spinach on 4 plates, then place the carrots on the spinach. For a nice presentation and more surface area for the “pesto” slice the carrots lengthwise and then plate. Drizzle with carrot top “pesto” and serve.
Chef’s Notes:
* Really big late season carrots can take up to 1½ hours to cook. Use this technique for your carrots a few times and you will learn what you need to know about the timing and types of carrots and what you like. This recipe is great because the results are very big with a minimum of work. You can vary the oils and herbs at will. Just scrub, oil, roast, and remember to check them once and you are done. If you use different colored carrots the results are quite striking, especially if you slice the carrots before plating. Bedding on spinach adds some dramatic color to the plate as well.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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