Already in December 2024 I announced that there will be more recipes with orange peel. This one is a delicious pesto that can be used not only on pasta but also as a sauce for hearty burgers, or raw and cooked vegetables. It is bitter-sweet, spicy and incredibly fragrant.
Most citrus peel recipes use the zest and discard the white pith and this is what I sometimes do as well, but in many of my recipes I use the entire peel, with the pith layer because of the high content of the antioxidant bioflavonoids quercetin and hesperidin. The white layer also contains fiber and pectin. The entire orange peel has more nutrients, including Vitamin C, than the orange itself.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine the bitter taste (flavor) is considered beneficial for the heart and digestion. Bitter foods stimulate digestion and detoxification and may help calm inflammation in the body. Orange peel has a cooling effect on the body if there is too much heat. The Chinese concepts differ from the concepts of western medicine. Since we are in the middle of a rather cold winter, I added warming hot chili pepper to my recipe to energetically balance this recipe.
Western herbalists use bitter herbs to improve liver health and help speed up the bile flow. Studies showed that phenolic compounds from (dehydrated and powdered) orange peels were effective in prevention and treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
~ Spicy Orange Peel Pesto Recipe ~
Ingredients:
for the pesto
- peels from 2 organic, untreated oranges, roughly chopped
- 1 heaping Tbsp chopped raw candied orange peel (recipe here)
- juice of 1 orange (use more if needed)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 3 large garlic cloves (use more if you like)
- 1 small chili pepper, chopped or 1 tsp of chili flakes
- 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/3 cup activated almonds, skin removed
- 1/3 cup virgin olive oil, add more if necessary
- 1 tsp Celtic sea salt to balance the flavors
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
for the "pasta"
- 2-3 heirloom carrots per person
- 1 Tbsp freshly pressed lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp virgin olive oil
- pinch Celtic sea salt
for the garnish
- fresh flat leaf parsley
- fresh basil
- orange zest
Method:
- Peel the carrots and using a vegetable peeler or a mandolin, cut the carrots into strips. In a large bowl mix the carrot strips with lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Set aside for a few minutes.
- Using food processor, make the pesto. I started with the orange peel and the candied orange peel, and then added almonds, garlic, chili pepper and herbs.
- When everything is well chopped up, add orange juice and lemon juice, and process until well combined.
- Keep the food processor running and add the olive oil. Process until well combined. Add salt and pepper, and blend for a few seconds. Adjust the taste and consistency. If the pesto is too thick add more orange juice and olive oil.
- Once the pesto is ready add about one tablespoon of it to the bowl with carrots and mix well.
- To serve, portion out the carrots into individual pasta dishes. Top up with a generous amount of pesto and garnish with fresh herbs and orange zest. Add some fresh black pepper straight from the pepper mill and enjoy it in good company!
I made this pesto creamy enough so I can use it on raw crackers and as a dip for a plate of crudites. Remember that your sense of taste is unique to you. Adjust the amount of ingredients as needed. For me, this pesto turned out perfectly. I would not change a thing.
To store, transfer the pesto into a small, sterilized jar. Keep things very clean to prevent contamination and spoilage. Pour some virgin olive oil into the jar to completely cover the surface of the pesto and close the jar. Store in refrigerator. To use, simply stir the pesto to mix it well with the olive oil. Consume within 3-5 days.
In radiant health, passionately raw - Dominique
Dominique Allmon©2025
*Information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure a disease.