Recipe: Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto

Roasted carrots with carrot top pesto and whipped ricotta at Love & Salt

This week on the market report Laura Avery talks to Michael Fiorelli, chef and partner at Love & Salt in Manhattan Beach. Fiorelli utilizes the whole carrot for this dish. He combines the carrot tops with herbs and preserved lemon to make a carrot top pesto that dresses his roasted carrots.

Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto

Courtesy of Chef Michael Fiorelli, Love & Salt

1 lb. baby carrots with carrot tops intact

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt, pepper

Carrot top pesto (recipe below)

Whipped ricotta

Carrot Top Pesto

1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup basil, finely chopped

1/2 cup carrot tops, finely chopped

1/2 cup preserved lemon, finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped roasted garlic

1 1/4 cup olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Trim carrot tops at the stem and reserve for use in the pesto. Scrub the carrots clean, leaving the peel and ends intact.

Arrange carrots in an even layer on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven (stirring once, half-way through) until just tender and easily pierced with a knife (15-20 minutes depending on the size of the carrot).

While the carrots are roasting prepare the carrot top pesto.

Combine pesto ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together until ingredients are integrated.

To plate, spoon the whipped ricotta into the base of your serving platter. Arrange the carrots over the top and finish with the carrot top pesto. (Note: You will have extra pesto leftover for future uses.)