Frank Picchione

Cashew Chèvre

Cashew cream is a healthy, nutrient-packed, versatile ingredient. After soaking raw, organic cashews they can be pureed in a high powered blender until silky-smooth. The resulting "cream" can then be sweetened into a decadent confection, or turned into a savory sauce for vegetables and pastas, as I did here and here. The amount of water you add determines the thickness of the sauce. And unlike dairy cream, cashew cream is totally cholesterol, trans fat and cruelty free.

Lately I have been experimenting with making "cheeses" and spreads out of cashew cream by adding rejuvelac to it. Rejuvelac is a fermented beverage made by soaking sprouted grains in water. It is loaded with enzymes and probiotics. Here you can see the tiny sprouts just emerging from the quinoa.When fully fermented, the rejuvelac is a cloudy liquid with a nutty flavor. I poured the mixture of cashew cream and rejuvelac into cheesecloth-lined ramekins and allowed it to culture at room temperature for several days, which brings about a sharpness and depth of flavor similar to dairy cheese. After that I stored it in the refigerator until ready to serve. So far, I have made four different cheeses using cashew cream, including this fresh mozzarella style. Tomorrow I will post the photos of a cheese course I served over the weekend.

Grilled Corn Chowder

This soup was creamy and rich tasting, but obviously had no dairy products added to it. After grilling six ears of corn I sliced off the kernels and pureed most of them in my Vitamix with a small amount of vegetable stock, cumin, salt and pepper. Then I stirred in the remaining grilled kernels for added texture.

Chocolate-Glazed Vanilla Donuts

I just got myself a donut pan so I can make homemade donuts. These are gluten free and vegan, obviously. I made two dozen, and they were so good I could have eaten all 24 at once. I found the easiest way to load the batter was with a piping bag. The creative possibilites for donuts are endless. I dipped this batch in melted chocolate to which I had added a touch of coconut oil so they'd be glossy when dry.

Les Haricots Verts & Rosemary New Potatoes.

About to roast les haricots verts and new potatoes with rosemary. Not such a thrilling post, but I like the colors in the photo.

Chocolate Layer Cake

I veganized my classic chocolate layer cake recipe by using soy milk and Ener-G Egg Replacer in the cake batter, and shortening in place of butter in the frosting. Unlike most of my desserts this one is loaded with sugar, white flour and calories - a rich, decadent treat that is free of cholesterol and trans fats.

Grilled Baby Artichokes

I prepared these baby artichokes simply, with lemon zest and olive oil. They are quick and easy to clean and prep for the grill, so it's possible to make a bunch in no time. After pulling off the tough outer leaves I trimmed the stems and cut an inch off the tops. I then steamed them, cut them in half lengthwise, tossed them with the other ingredients and grilled them cut side down. I served them alongside roasted beets.

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Spring Pea & Mint Purée with Cauliflower Purée

I am still amazed by how beautifully my Vitamix purées vegetables. I don't know how I ever got along without it. The results are always velvety and smooth, without even the tiniest of lumps. It takes very little liquid to reach the perfect consistency, so the flavors remain intense. To the cauliflower I just added salt and pepper, and to the peas I added a handful of whole mint leaves, which became perfectly unified. Both of these purées could easily be thinned and served as soups. 

Gluten-Free, Vegan Pizza

Working with gluten free pizza dough was a bit of a challenge at first. There is no stretch to it, so it tears apart easily. I had to use a rolling pin to flatten it between parchement paper and plastic wrap, and then slide it onto a pizza stone using a peel. I made six small pies, and by the end I had become quite efficient. The hot stone produced a flavorful, crispy crust.

Tonight's vegetable topping, which I combined in different ways, were heirloom tomatoes, Japanese eggplants and grilled baby artichokes. The tiny artichokes were a cinch to clean and prep compared to the giant globes, and would make an excellent side dish with lemon and chopped mint. I also added dollops fresh cashew mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil, a chiffonade of basil, and plenty of sea salt and pepper.

For added protein I sauteed tempeh in a roasted red pepper-tomato sauce with smoked paprika.

Caprese Salad with Handmade Cashew Mozzarella

After culturing a batch of cashew cheese with a bit of my homemade rejuvelac for 48 hours, I formed it into small balls of "mozzarella", which I then soaked in a brine until chilled. The resulting texture was like that of a salty, rich burrata that practically melted into the dressing on this salad.