Carrot Top Pesto

Makes 1 cup, Prep: 5 min. Cook: 10 min.

An appetizer dip or serve over baked potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

Greens from 1 medium-size bunch of carrots to make about 1 cup after blanching and chopping
½ cup unsalted sunflower seeds, toasted
1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

STEPS:

1. Fill a medium size pot with water and bring it to a boil.
2. Prepare an ice bath by filling a medium size bowl with ice and water.
3. When the water boils, add the carrot greens to the hot water.
4. Push them down with tongs to be sure all get in the water.
5. Boil for one minute.
6. Drain the pot into a colander
7. Transfer the greens to the ice bath with the tongs to stop the cooking.
8. Let the greens cool completely then drain them.
9. Squeeze any remaining water from the greens and roughly chop them.
10. In a food processor pulse the greens, sunflower seeds, garlic, lemon juice and salt.
11. Add the olive oil and process again until smooth.