Fermented Cashew Cheese
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- raw cashews 1 ½ cup
- apple cider vinegar with the “mother” 2 tbsp
- freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tbsp
- water 3 tbsp
- refined coconut oil 0.33 cup
- nutritional yeast ½ cup
- garlic powder ¾ tsp
- onion powder ¾ tsp
- sea salt 1 ¼ tsp
Do NOT use fresh garlic. Storing fresh garlic in oil at room temperature for more than a few hours can cause botulism (very serious food poisoning!). The warmer the temperature, the less time it needs to ferment. In the oven, 16 to 24 hours is typically sufficient. If it’s not summer time and you’re fermenting on the countertop, you will need more time. You can add flavorings or mix-ins, like sun-dried tomatoes with dried oregano, chopped dill with parsley, dried cranberries with crushed walnuts, or pomegranate seeds with crushed pecans. Storage: Roll it tightly in the parchment paper and store it in the fridge for at least 2 weeks. If the paper isn’t wrapped tightly, the edges dry out, so to avoid this, store the wrapped cheese in an airtight container.
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1Gather: raw cashews , apple cider vinegar with the “mother” , freshly squeezed lemon juice , water , refined coconut oil , nutritional yeast , garlic powder , onion powder , sea salt .
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2Drain the soaked cashews and rinse. Wash your glass jar and lid with warm soapy water and dry well.
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3Add the cashews to a high-powered blender, along with the vinegar, lemon juice, water, and oil. Blend on medium or high speed, scraping down the sides as you go, until relatively smooth and creamy. Add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt, and blend again until well incorporated and completely smooth. If you have a large blender container, like a 64 ounce (2 L) jar, this will take several minutes, as you will need to scrape down several times, as there is very little liquid.
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4Pour the mixture into a glass jar with an airtight lid. Seal and let the jar ferment in a warm place, for a minimum of 16 hours, or up to 48 hours. (see Note 2) If it’s summer, your kitchen counter works great. You can also place it in the oven with just the lightbulb on (be sure to not preheat your oven during this time and don't place it right next to the light, as it might get a little too warm). You can also ferment it outside if you live in a warm but temperate climate (no direct exposure to sun; loosely wrap the jars in a dish towel).
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5Once the cheese has fermented, give it a stir and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to firm up.
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6Once the cheese has solidified, spoon half of it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use a spoon to push it into a log-like shape. Roll up the parchment paper and use your hands and the parchment paper itself to mold and shape the cheese into a log shape. Repeat with the other half of the cheese in a second log. Refrigerate the cheese logs for 2 hours , or more, to set.