Here’s how you can transform carrots into a delicious socca and gazpacho for spring

Make double the meals with just one ingredient: the mighty carrot! Carrots are not only healthy, but they are one of the most versatile vegetables you can use in your recipes. On this episode of In The Know: Zero Waste Kitchen, chef Adriana Urbina (@adrianaurbinap) pulls a rabbit out of her chef’s hat by showing us how to turn carrots and their stems into a delicious carrot socca and gazpacho with basil-carrot top pesto! Note: for this recipe, you will need to buy carrots with their stems still attached!

Ingredients

Carrot Socca

  • 5 oz. chickpea flour
  • 1 cup almond milk, or milk of your choice
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium carrots, shredded
  • 1 tbsp ghee, or coconut oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt 

Basil-Carrot Top Pesto

  • 1 cup loose fresh basil leaves
  • 1 cup loose carrot top fronds, stemmed
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
  • 3 tbsp raw almonds (use less for a more liquid pesto)
  • Juice of 1/2 large lemon
  • 1/4 cup roasted walnut oil, or extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

Pea Gazpacho

  • 1 tbsp light olive oil
  • 3 cups fresh young green peas, shelled
  • 1/2 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
  • 1 small white onion, chopped
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock 
  • 3 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped 
  • 1/2 cup yogurt
  • 1 tsp kosher salt 
  • Fresh mint, edible flowers or pea shoots, for garnish

Instructions

Carrot Socca with Poached Egg 

  1. First, make your batter. In a large bowl, sift the chickpea flour and add the shredded carrots. Add the egg, a pinch of salt and the milk, and mix. Set aside. 
  1. In the meantime, make the egg. Crack the egg onto a heated pan with some oil and add salt and pepper. Cover the egg with a lid. 
  1. While the egg cooks, make the socca. Place a large non-stick frying pan on high heat and add a teaspoon of ghee or coconut oil. Add the batter and allow it to cook for 4-5 minutes, until the pancake is set around the edges and starting to brown and crisp. Then, flip the pancake and cook for 2 more minutes. 
  1. Plate the carrot socca and then place your cooked egg on top. Season with some salt and pepper.

Basil-Carrot Top Pesto

  1. Saute the onions in the olive oil over medium heat for five minutes or until softened but not browned. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  1. In a small blender or food processor, combine the basil, carrot tops, garlic, salt, almonds, and lemon juice. Process just until combined, enough for the herbs to be chopped.
  1. Add the cooled cooked onions and blend again until combined.

Pea Gazpacho

  1. Place the cucumbers, salt, olive oil, lemon juice, yogurt, peas, vegetable stock, and half of your fresh mint and herbs and blend until very smooth. 
  1. Pour the gazpacho into a container and chill it in the refrigerator or freezer. 
  1. Once the gazpacho has cooled, pour it into a bowl and top with the basil-carrot top pesto, some salt and pepper, oil, and fresh herbs. 

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