CASHEW AU POIVRE TORTE with BASIL PARSLEY PESTO

SERVES 4 TO 6

When I was a staff chef at Living Light Culinary Institute, the founder, Cherie Soria, was the first to school me on making nut-based cultured cheeses. This “torte” is a takeoff on that idea, with layers of cashew cheese and basil pesto, a crust of pink peppercorns and chives, and a drizzle of sweet-tart syrup made from reduced (boiled down) white balsamic vinegar. The torte is about the size and shape of a small wheel of Brie cheese, and you serve it the same way… with crackers or bread as part of a plant-based cheese platter or to accompany a vegetable carpaccio board. The cashew cheese here is basically plant-based cream cheese—you can use it as a creamy base for almost anything. —CHAD

CASHEW CHEESE

2 cups raw cashews

½ cup lukewarm filtered water

¾ teaspoon potent probiotics powder, preferably from New Chapter

1½ teaspoons onion powder

½ tablespoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

¼ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

ASSEMBLY

3 tablespoons crushed pink peppercorns

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

½ tablespoon flake salt

½ cup Basil Parsley Pesto (here)

½ cup white balsamic vinegar

FOR THE CASHEW CHEESE: Soak the cashews overnight in tap water to cover at room temperature.

Put the lukewarm filtered water in a blender (preferably high-speed). Add the probiotics powder and let stand a minute or two until dissolved.

Drain the cashews and transfer to the blender. Blend on medium to medium-high speed until very smooth, stopping to scrape and stir as necessary. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture into a glass or ceramic bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand at room temperature until cultured, 14 to 16 hours. At this point, the probiotics will have grown, coagulated the protein in the mixture, and firmed up the cheese a bit.

The next day, when finished culturing, use the rubber spatula to stir the onion powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the cheese.

TO ASSEMBLE THE TORTE: Grab a small springform pan or small round mold 4 to 5 inches in diameter and line with plastic wrap. Or find a mini-terrine mold or very small baking dish (2- to 3-cup capacity) and line with plastic wrap. Sprinkle the pan bottom with the peppercorns, chives, and salt.

Press half of the cashew cheese firmly into the pan. Spread all the pesto in a thick layer over the cheese. Spread on the remaining cashew cheese. Cover and chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours.

Boil the vinegar in a small saucepan over high heat for about 10 minutes, until reduced in volume by about half, about ¼ cup. Let cool in the pan, up to 2 hours if you like.

Invert the torte onto a small plate and remove the pan and plastic wrap. Drizzle with the white balsamic syrup.

Pro Tip

Don’t have time to culture? Omit the probiotics and replace with 2 tablespoons lemon juice. The end result will be slightly different but still a similar flavor profile, just without the zing.