All-on-board Charcuterie
Serves: 4-6
Homemade Cashew Cheddar
1 cup raw cashews
4 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup refined coconut oil
½ cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon agar agar
Salt, to taste
1. Soak raw cashews for about 5 minutes in an bowl of hot water.
2. Drain and blend cashews with the lemon juice, coconut oil, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, paprika, turmeric, and 1 cup of water until smooth. Add salt, to taste.
3. In a small pot, combine 1 cup of room temperature water with the agar agar powder and mix until dissolved, then add the blended mixture.
4. Whisk constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil and continue to stir for 1-2 minutes until it thickens.
5. Coat a mold, tart pan, muffin tin, ramekin or other small, nonstick baking tin with a light layer of oil and pour in the mixture.
6. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until firm.
Chickpea Sausage
12 oz. can of chickpeas
¾ cup vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 teaspoon paprika
⅔ cup vital wheat gluten
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons onion flakes
1 tablespoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1. Drain the can of chickpeas and reserve the liquid (aquafaba). Measure out ½ cup of chickpeas and add to a blender, along with the broth, ⅓ cup of the chickpea liquid, garlic, olive oil, and coconut aminos. Blend until smooth.
2. In a large bowl, combine the paprika, vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, flour, onion flakes, parsley, and red pepper flakes and whisk until combined.
3. Add the blended chickpea mixture to the bowl, stirring until well combined.
4. Knead the mixture in the bowl for a couple of minutes, then divide into 8 equal parts.
5. Cut 8 strips of tin foil, about 12 inches long. Mold each portion of the dough into a sausage shape with your hands, and place on the foil, then wrap with the foil, twisting tightly at the ends.
6. In a steamer basket, place each of the following-wrapped pieces and steam for 40 minutes in a pot with about an inch of water at the bottom, or just under the steamer basket. Make sure the level of the water doesn't drop too low while cooking by adding more water if necessary.
7. Remove the sausages and allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight in the wrappings.
Serving
Serve prepared foods on a wooden board with crackers, and your favorite vegetables. (We love cherry tomatoes, sliced celery, baby carrots and raw broccoli.) Perfect for a summer picnic!
