I am swimming in carrots right now. When I planted a few rows back in May, I didn’t realize the yield would come to approximately ten-thousand carrots. It’s a good problem to have, especially considering how versatile they are. You can turn the fronds into chimichurri or a pesto, as I have below, and the carrots can be roasted, made into stews, or grated for a classic French salad.
In this recipe, loosely inspired by the legendary vegetable sandwiches at Cookbook Market in L.A., I’ve turned them into a simple and delicious lunch (that just so happens to be vegan!). Plus, once you know how to make this sandwich, you can swap out the carrots and tomatoes for nearly any summer vegetables—I also love making a variation with zucchinis (either sliced thin and raw or roasted!) and grilled eggplant. Enjoy!
For the Carrot Top Pesto:
5 garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups almonds (I sprouted mine and removed the skins, which removes some of their bitterness)
2 cups basil
4 cups carrot tops, just the leafy greens (long stems can be discarded)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (you could also use 1/2 cup Parmesan)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 cup olive oil
Salt, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
How to make the pesto:
Add the garlic and almonds to a food processor and blitz until finely ground, then add everything up to olive oil and pulse to blend.
Keeping the food processor running, slowly add in the olive oil to the top—you may find that you need less than the full cup. Add salt and red pepper to taste, and add to an airtight container to keep in the fridge.
For the Tomato and Carrot Sandwich with Vegan Pesto and Ricotta:
Bread (I would prefer focaccia here, but used a seeded bread from Tabor Bread)
1 clove garlic
Ghee
Carrot top pesto
Ricotta (I used Kite Hill’s vegan ricotta, to try it, which was surprisingly delicious, but you could just as easily use traditional dairy-based ricotta)
Several carrots, sliced to be about 1/2-inch thick and 4 inches long, roasted at 400° for 30 minutes, until lightly caramelized
Fresh lettuces or sprouts
Heirloom tomato, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
How to assemble the sandwich:
Slice and lightly toast the bread. On the top-facing side of each slice, rub a clove of raw garlic across each piece of bread, then smear a hearty serving of ghee on top (my favorite way to eat toast!). Spread pesto on one side, edge to edge, then ricotta on the other.
Layer the roasted carrots (can be any temperature) over the pesto, then add the lettuces and tomato, and salt and pepper. Bring the pieces together, and enjoy! x
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