Posts

Kale, cashew and walnut pesto

A simple, mostly raw pesto, heavy on the greens. Pictured here with a maple and tamari roasted tofu, red
potatoes and heirloom carrots.

Ingredients

2 cups packed baby kale
1/4 cup fresh basil
1T fresh garlic, minced
1T lemon juice
2T cashews
2T walnuts
2T olive oil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Soak the nuts in warm water for at least an hour.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree
until smooth.
Let stand 30 minutes before using.
Seasons to taste.

 

 

Lime cashew panna cotta with bittersweet chocolate lace

A simple, flavourful dessert with some sophisticated looking presentation. Add a little lime zest for extract colour and richer flavour.

Ingredients

2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup of sugar (1)
1T heaping agar-agar flakes
1/4 cup unsweetened, unsalted cashew butter
A pinch of sea salt
50g bittersweet chocolate (2)

Directions

Puree the soy milk, sugar, agar-gar, peanut butter and sea salt until smooth.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer on medium low for 15 minutes.
Pour into two ramekins and chill uncovered for 20 minutes.
Cover with saran wrap and chill further for 2 hours.
When you’re ready to melt the chocolate, turn the panna cotta out carefully onto a plate.
Melt the chocolate using a double-boiler, or two pans in a makeshift double boiler). Don’t add water, soy milk or other things that may cause the chocolate to seize.
Once the chocolate has melted, either transfer to a piping bag and draw lace on a cool, dry surface (e.g., parchment paper or plastic wrap over a baking sheet) or drizzle with a rubber spoon to the same effect.
Let the chocolate lace setup at room temperature (expect about an hour or two).
Carefully peel off the chocolate off the surface in pieces.
Arrange the lace in thin slices on top of the panna cotta and serve.

  1. Production methods are changing, but some white cane sugars are still bleached using animal bone charcoal. Beet sugar, organic sugar and other
    unbleached sugars are typically fine.

  2. I use a nice fairly traded bar with organic beans and organic sugar.

Chocolate, cashew millet mousse with persimmon cream and raspberries

Persimmons have a lovely rich, mild flavour that contrasts with both the bittersweet chocolate and the tart raspberries in this dish.

Ingredients

1/4 cup hulled millet
1/2 cup water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
2T cocoa powder (I used a fair trade, Dutch-processed brand)
3T agave nectar
1T cashew butter
1 fuyu persimmon (not vanilla/Hachiya persimmon)
1/2 cup raspberries

Directions

Using an immersion blender or food processor, grind the millet until you have a coarse, coffee texture.
In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water to a light simmer.
Add the millet and sea salt, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Puree the millet until smooth.
Add the soy milk, cover and simmer another 10 minutes.
Add the cocoa powder and agave nectar, puree, cover and simmer another 5 minutes.
Add the cashew butter, puree smooth and let stand 10 minutes to cool.
Spoon the millet into an appropriate container, cover, and chill for 2 hours to setup.
When the millet has setup, spoon into a serving dish or glass.
Trim the top and the bottom of the persimmon, cut a thin slice from the middle (about 1/8″), quarter it, and reserve it for garnish.
Puree the rest of the persimmon until smooth and creamy.
Garnish the mousse with the raspberries, persimmon cream, sliced persimmon and serve.