Class #8: Building Flavor, Part 2 / Pea Toasts with Cauliflower Ricotta, Nut Butter Noodles
“Cooking times are simply guidelines. Use your senses, including common sense.”
Referenced
Class #7: Building Flavor (Part 1)
P.S. Please leave any cooking/kitchen questions you’d like answered in a future Q&A video in the comments below, or through the contact form.
Recipes
Cauliflower Ricotta
makes about 2 1/2 cups
1 small head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 oz/43 g), cut into florets
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked and drained (see note)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon white/mellow miso
zest and juice from 1 lemon
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Set a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower to the pot and cook for 12-15 minutes, until tender. Strain the cauliflower (optionally, save the cooking water for blanching the peas for the pea toasts).
In a food processor, combine the cooked cauliflower, cashews, olive oil, nutritional yeast, miso, lemon zest, 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth, with a little ricotta-like texture remaining. Taste for salt and lemon juice, adjust if needed. Keep the cauliflower ricotta refrigerated in an airtight container.
Note
Cashews can be soaked in hot water for at least 15 minutes or in cold water for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
Pea Toasts with Cauliflower Ricotta, Walnuts, and Mint
serves 1-2 (this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, since you will have leftover ricotta)
2 thick slices sourdough bread
handful raw walnuts
scant 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
sea salt
olive oil
lemon juice (from about 1/4-1/2 lemon)
freshly ground black pepper
cauliflower ricotta (recipe above)
handful fresh mint, sliced into ribbons
Set a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil for the peas. Toast the bread until crispy. Toast the walnuts at 350° F (175° C) for 5 minutes, if using a toaster oven, or 10-12 minutes, if using a regular oven. Watch the nuts closely, as they can burn quickly. Chop the toasted walnuts.
Add the peas to the prepared boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. Strain the peas and run them under cold water to stop the cooking and preserve the bright green color. Transfer the peas to a small bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with salt and pepper, all to taste. Mix to coat.
Assemble the toasts. Spread a generous layer of the cauliflower ricotta on each slice of bread, followed by the peas, walnuts, and mint. Enjoy right away.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
The cauliflower ricotta can be used in pasta, on pizza, in salads - anywhere you would use regular ricotta (savory-specific).
The pea toast can be used as a base recipe for making fancy, delicious toasts during any time of the year. Start with good bread and a creamy base, then top with any vegetables that are around, and finish with herbs + something crunchy. In the fall, try toast with cauliflower ricotta + roasted butternut squash + caramelized onions + toasted pecans + rosemary or sage. In the summer, ricotta + fresh tomatoes + balsamic or chile oil + basil. And so on!
Cold Nut Butter Noodles
serves 4
juice from 2 limes (about ¼ cup)
1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce, or coconut aminos)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons creamy nut butter (peanut, cashew, almond)
1 teaspoon sriracha or other chili sauce of choice
sea salt
1 garlic clove, finely grated
8-9 oz/250g rice noodles, soba noodles, or other noodles of choice
1 medium cucumber or 2-3 Persian (mini) cucumbers, cut into half or quarter rounds
handful of mint, basil, or cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for garnishing
1½ tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnishing
Make the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, tamari, rice vinegar, nut butter, sriracha, a pinch of salt, and garlic, mix well until creamy. Taste for salt and spice and adjust if needed. Put the sauce in the refrigerator to cool and thicken.
Cook the noodles in well-salted water, according to the instructions on the package. Once cooked, run the noodles under very cold water. If your tap water is not cold enough, place a few ice cubes in the colander with the noodles and let them melt completely to cool down your noodles.
Transfer the noodles to a serving bowl. Add the cucumbers, herbs, sesame seeds, and the sauce, mix very well. Serve right away, garnished with more herbs and sesame seeds. Keep any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
The nut butter sauce can be used to dress salad or slaw, in grain bowls, etc. Add more nut butter to make the sauce more creamy, if needed.
All kinds of things can be added to these noodles. To make the dish more filling, add tofu or tempeh, cooked your favorite way. In place of or in addition to the cucumbers, you can add carrots, snow peas, sugar snap peas, cabbage, etc. Try toasted cashews or peanuts in place of the sesame seeds.