Be a Food Waste Warrior: Carrot Juice Cavatelli, Tops Salsa, & Spiced Pulp Crumble

Chef Jeremy Fox, who first came to Michelin-star fame at Ubuntu in Napa - a vegetable paradise - is now here in LA at the helm of Rustic Canyon (rusticcanyonwinebar.com) in Santa Monica, among others. In his new cookbook, On Vegetables: Modern Recipes for the Home Kitchen (Phaidon, 2017), which was released in April, Fox treats these plants with the utmost respect and care. His thoughtful recipes are surely modern - some more approachable than others - and the book almost reads like vegetable poetry. A favorite is Fox's Carrot Juice Cavatelli with Tops Salsa and Spiced Pulp Crumble (see next page for recipe), which utilizes the entire vegetable, from the tops to the juice and pulp. Even the pages of condiments, like Fig, Pepper Skin, & Riesling Jam (great with cheese!) or the Miso Bagna Cauda (this is really versatile, but I love it on hot crusty bread!) are as beautifully inventive as they are craveworthy. -eLA

Adapted from On Vegetables: Modern Recipes for the Home Kitchen by Jeremy Fox (Phaidon, 2017)
serves 4

Carrot Juice Cavatelli

Note: Start cooking the day before you intend to serve this. The carrot pulp and cavatelli dough will need overnight to dehydrate and rest, respectively.

4 1/2 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup carrot juice from orange carrots, pulp reserved

In a food processor, blend together the flour and salt. With the machine running, slowly add the carrot juice (you may not need all of it), until the dough comes together. You are looking for a texture similar to Play-Doh: elastic, pliable, and not sticking to your fingers when you touch it. If the dough is too dry, add more juice; too wet, add more flour.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it with the heels of your hands for about 1 minute, until smooth.
Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator.
Place the carrot pulp on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 135ºF overnight.
About 1 hour before you plan to make the cavatelli, let the dough come to room temperature – this will make it much easier to work with. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Lightly flour a work surface. Working with one piece at a time - and keeping the rest of the dough covered – roll the dough into a long, thin rope, about 1/8" thick. Cut the rope crosswise into 1/4" pieces.
Using a cavatelli board, or the tines of a fork, gently but confidently roll the dough pieces against it. The cavatelli may not come out perfect right away, but soon the motion will find its way into your muscle memory.
Once the cavatelli are shaped, lay them in a single layer (not touching) on a baking sheet lined with a tea towel. Repeat this process until all dough has been shaped. These are best cooked when fresh, so if you are going to be cooking them the same day, you can just leave them out. Otherwise, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season your water with salt so it tastes like the sea. Add the cavatelli and cook until they float to the surface, about 3 minutes.

Carrot Purée

makes 1 cup

2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
6 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tbsp kosher salt, plus more as needed

In a bowl, toss the carrots with 2 tbsp of the grapeseed oil and the salt and set aside for about 10 minutes.
Transfer the carrots to a food processor and blend until broken up. Transfer the mixture to a saucepot, set over medium-low heat, cover, and cook, undisturbed, for 40-45 min. You'll know it's ready when you can smear it with a spoon.
Transfer to a blender and blend on low, gradually increasing to high speed as you drizzle in the remaining oil. Blend until it reaches the consistency of mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Carrot Tops Salsa Verde

makes 3/4 cup

1/2 cup carrot tops, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
finely grated zest of 2 lemons

In a bowl, combine carrot tops, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice (withhold this if not using salsa right away), and lemon zest and whisk thoroughly until combined. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If storing for later use, don't add lemon juice until just before serving.

Carrot Pulp Crumble

makes about 3/4 cup

2 cups carrot pulp (from 3 lbs orange carrots that have been juiced)
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp Fox Spice (below)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Spread the pulp evenly on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 125° to 135°F for at least 8 hours, or until completely dry. You should get about 3/4 cup.
Transfer the pulp to a mortar and pestle and grind until you have the rustic texture of a fine breadcrumb. Transfer to a bowl and add the sugar, spice, and salt, and stir.
Store in an airtight container indefinitely at room temperature. Stir in the olive oil until combined.

Fox Spice

makes 1/3 cup

2 1/2 tbsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp ground mace
1 tbsp + 1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp whole cloves

Add all spices to a wide sauté pan and toast over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant - 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer spices to a spice grinder and process until finely ground. Store at room temperature in an airtight containerfor up to 2 months.

To Serve

3/4 cup Carrot Purée (below)
4 tbsp Carrot Tops Salsa Verde (below)
4 tbsp Carrot Crumble (below)
aged Gouda cheese

While the pasta water heats up, gently warm the carrot purée in a small pan over low heat. Keep covered and warm until serving.
Using a sieve, scoop the cavatelli out of the pasta water and into a wide bowl. Immediately dress them with the carrot top salsa verde and toss to combine. Ladle in some of the starchy, seasoned pasta water, a little at a time, to open up the flavors and create a very light sauce that will coat the cavatelli. Don’t add too much water or it will make for a thin, diluted sauce.
Place dollops of the carrot purée on 4 warmed plates. Spoon the cavatelli on top and sprinkle the carrot crumble over the pasta and the plate. Shave ribbons of Gouda over the top and serve immediately. ◆ -eLA