Method
For the nut cheese
To make the rejuvelac
Rinse quinoa and place in a large jar. Fill with water and soak at room temperature for 24 hours. After 24 hours, drain and rinse quinoa and place back in jar. Leave to sprout at room temperature for two days. Little sprouts should start to form after one day.
When sprouted, gently rinse quinoa and place back in jar. Fill with 2 cups of filtered water. Cover the top with a cheese cloth or cloth that will allow the mixture to breath. Sit at room temperature for 2-3 days.
After this time, drain and store liquid in fridge (see tips for alternate uses of liquid).
To make the cheese
Blend all ingredients together using a high speed blender and blend until very smooth. Scrape down sides occasionally to ensure all is blended evenly.
Cover and sit at room temperature for two days. The rejuvelac helps with the fermentation process of the cheese. You will notice the cheese expanding, it will resemble bread dough.
Once the cheese has expanded, add nutritional yeast, salt and lemon juice to cheese mix. Stir to combine. The nutritional yeast adds a natural cheesy flavour which really compliments the fermented cashews.
Place 300g of the cheese into a sausage shape between baking paper. Try to get out all of the air before rolling up and tightening on both sides. Keep tightening to compact the cheese mix into a sausage shape (approximately 14cm long x 6cm thick).
Refrigerate for three days so the cheese has time to firm up. Keep in fridge until ready to serve. The mixture will keep for a couple of weeks like this. Roll cheese in nutritional yeast again 2 days prior to serving.
Spread remaining cheese mixture on to a dehydrator tray lined with a silicon mat and dehydrate at 40 degrees overnight in a dehydrator (see tips below for dehydrating in conventional oven). Break this in to small shards to become your parmesan crisps!
For the cacao ‘soil’
Place all ingredients into a food processor and blitz until mixture comes together slightly and resembles soil. You may need to add an extra date if your nut flour is too dry.
For the sour cream
Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until very smooth. Taste and add further salt and lemon as required to resemble the taste of sour cream.
Place in container with an airtight lid. Refrigerate until needed. The mixture will firm up a little overnight.
For the pickled vegetables
Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk until sugar has dissolved.
Prepare vegetable and place in pickling solution. This can be done in advance as vegetables will keep for a couple of weeks if completely covered in liquid.
To serve
To serve, place two heaped tablespoons of sour cream into each bowl. Cut cashew cheese into 2cm rounds and place on top of each sour cream dollop. Cover cheese with 1/2 cup of cacao soil and distribute a range of pickled vegetables over cacao soil. Garnish with some fresh vegetables and herbs and finish with some parmesan crisps!
Tips
For dehydrating :
We use a dehydrator a lot at work to obtain a crispy texture whilst ensuring all our ingredients remain raw. If you don’t own a dehydrator, you can use a conventional oven on the lowest possible temperature, and using baking paper instead of a silicon mat. However, if the lowest setting is above 42 degrees, the dish will no longer officially be considered ‘raw’, but the end result will be very similar in taste / texture. Timings will differ per oven, but generally slow and steady is best, as you don’t want your ingredients to cook! Allow at least 8 hours (or overnight) and keep an eye on the dehydration process in the final stages.
For nut soaking :
We suggest using filtered water for best results, however you can also use tap water.
Rejuvelac :
Rejuvelac can be used as a nutritious drink as well as for making nut cheeses. It is a probiotic which is great for regulating gut bacteria. Soaking and sprouting quinoa and mixing with water is like creating a fermented beverage. Bit sour, not so flavoursome, but still refreshing.
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