Selling produce for a farm at the market, I’m always a little sad when a customer has me chop off greens, like carrot or onion tops, and even beet greens. Sure, carrot tops are a little bitter, but not much more than some other excellent and more sought after greens. But they strike many people as a nuisance, and so, “Off with their heads!”
We list off the possible uses when the customer is wavering, but they tend to be a little suspicious of “carrot top pesto” as an option. (Search that term and you’ll find yummy recipes from all the usual suspects. Trust me.)
Well, I just saw an even more epic technique for utilizing all those greens you might otherwise discard: Fried Greens Meatlessballs.
You can find that recipe on Food 52 by clicking here.
You’ll help the cause by storing them properly. Greens on carrots and beets shouldn’t be left attached; they steal moisture from the vegetable. Cut ’em off, wrap in a moist paper towel and store them in an unsealed plastic bag.
For more advice and ideas, check out One Green Planet’s article by clicking here.
The one upside when you do have us remove the greens is that folks with rabbits, some lizards (and the occasional horse) are grateful to be able to grab a bagful of carrot tops for their hungry critters.
Still, the tops can be a flavorful additional to meal and snack time, and it always feels great to reduce the amount of food we waste.
Photo by Liz West
