Carrot Top Pesto Potato Salad
Total Time: 90 minutes (75 inactive)
Want something new to do with your carrot tops besides making a pesto? Or, do you want to start using them instead of throwing them out? If you don’t buy carrots with tops, you should definitely consider changing that. Carrot tops kind of taste like carrots, but they are also kind of bitter. This is Carrot Top Potato Salad. It’s different.
Let’s start by going over some potato salad basics. First, potato cookery. Even though it takes longer, I like to boil my potatoes whole. You could, however, save time by cutting the potatoes and then boiling them. Does that affect the flavor? I can’t really say, whole is just how I roll.
How do I know when the potatoes are cooked through? Use a pairing knife to check the potatoes for doneness. When you can insert the knife through the center of the potato with no resistance, it is time to remove the potatoes from the water. I had rather large Yukon gold potatoes that we approximately 0.625 pounds each. If your potatoes are smaller, they will obviously cook faster.
Aren’t boiled potatoes bland? They can be, but not these potatoes! We salt the water, because the cooking water is our first chance to add salt and flavor to the potatoes. Then, while the potatoes are still warm but cool enough to handle, we chop and then salt them in layers in our bowl. When the potatoes are still warm, they absorb the salt.
Mayo or no mayo? Warm or cold? This potato salad has no mayo, so we can add the dressing while the potatoes are still warm and enjoy warm or at room temperature. The leftovers, if there are any, will still be great cold. I like to take them out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before I plan to eat them so that they aren’t “icebox” cold.
Let’s get back to the carrot tops. As I mentioned, they are kind of bitter. You could totally mask the bitterness, but then who would even know that you used carrot tops? Bitter isn’t bad – IPAs are great, right? For this dressing, we keep some of that bitterness so that we can celebrate the color and the flavor of the carrot tops. Did I mention we are also reducing food waste?
Servings/Suggestions
With smashburgers, duh!
Ingredients
4 Yukon gold potatoes, rinsed and scrubbed (approximately 2.5 pounds)
6 cloves garlic, halved
1 tablespoon kosher salt
For the carrot top dressing
tops from 1 bunch of carrots, rinsed, dried and pluck from the stem
discard the tough stems
1 apple, cored and diced
any red variety will do
Scroll down to the photos at the bottom of this red cabbage and bacon recipe to see how I do this
3 scallions, sliced
8 bread and butter pickle slices, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon of chopped pickled red onions
1 tablespoon of the red onion pickling liquid
1 tablespoon of the bread and butter pickle brine
2 tablespoons whole grain or dijon mustard
or 1 tablespoon of each
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
Directions
Step 1
Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. Add the garlic cloves and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Boil until the potatoes are tender, approximately 45 minutes. As the water evaporates during boiling, you will need to add more water to make sure the potatoes stay covered.
Step 2
Once the potatoes are tender, let them cool on a plate for around 30 minutes. Save the garlic, we will be using it for the carrot top dressing.
Step 3
Once the potatoes have cooled enough to work with, we need to cut them up one at a time. First, cut the potato in half lengthwise. Then, cut those halves in half lengthwise. Now cut into 1/2” to 3/4” quarter moons. After you finish chopping the first potato, add it to a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat this process with each potato.
Step 4
Now we need to make the carrot top dressing in a small food processor. Add the apples, the garlic, the scallions, the pickles, and the pickled red onions. Pulse until smooth. Now we need to roughly chop the carrot tops and add them in batches. Once you have added the last batch of carrot tops, add the red onion pickling liquid, the pickle brine and the apple cider vinegar. Process until you have a smooth mixture. Now add the mustard and pulse again. Now taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you feel it needs some more sweetness, add some honey. Finally, add the grapeseed oil and process until the dressing is emulsified.
Step 5
Add a few big spoonfuls of the dressing on the potatoes and incorporate. I like to use a spatula and work my way around the bowl, gently lifting the potatoes to toss them. Add more dressing until the potatoes are well coated, and make sure to reserve some of the dressing for adding on the top right before eating. Enjoy!
Carrot Top Potato Salad
Ingredients:
- 4 Yukon gold potatoes, rinsed and scrubbed (approximately 2.5 pounds)
- 6 cloves garlic, halved
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- tops from 1 bunch of carrots, rinsed, dried and pluck from the stem. Discard the tough stems
- 1 apple, cored and diced (any red variety will do)
- 3 scallions, sliced
- 8 bread and butter pickle slices, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon of chopped pickled red onions
- 1 tablespoon of the red onion pickling liquid
- 1 tablespoon of the bread and butter pickle brine
- 2 tablespoons whole grain or dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
Instructions:
- Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. Add the garlic cloves and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Boil until the potatoes are tender, approximately 45 minutes. As the water evaporates during boiling, you will need to add more water to make sure the potatoes stay covered.
- Once the potatoes are tender, let them cool on a plate for around 30 minutes. Save the garlic, we will be using it for the carrot top dressing.
- Once the potatoes have cooled enough to work with, we need to cut them up one at a time. First, cut the potato in half lengthwise. Then, cut those halves in half lengthwise. Now cut into 1/2” to 3/4” quarter moons. After you finish chopping the first potato, add it to a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat this process with each potato.
- Now we need to make the carrot top dressing in a small food processor. Add the apples, the garlic, the scallions, the pickles, and the pickled red onions. Pulse until smooth. Now we need to roughly chop the carrot tops and add them in batches. Once you have added the last batch of carrot tops, add the red onion pickling liquid, the pickle brine and the apple cider vinegar. Process until you have a smooth mixture. Now add the mustard and pulse again. Now taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you feel it needs some more sweetness, add some honey. Finally, add the grapeseed oil and process until the dressing is emulsified.
- Add a few big spoonfuls of the dressing on the potatoes and incorporate. I like to use a spatula and work my way around the bowl, gently lifting the potatoes to toss them. Add more dressing until the potatoes are well coated, and make sure to reserve some of the dressing for adding on the top right before eating. Enjoy!