Ok so it's not spring (primavera), but it sure felt like it today. Maybe it was borderline November, but I like spring better, and the vegetables right now are more liken to spring. I think the bears are still starving, I saw one at the market today busking for berries but his rendition of Hamlet was closer to Edward Scissor Hands so he wasn't making much coin. Yes - I'm complaining about the weather on my food blog.
Despite the cold rain, the market was once again super awesome and it inspired me to make a raw pasta primavera for dinner. Check it out cold cats:
As usual, the measurements are anyone's guess... mostly my guess.
White Sauce:
1.5 cups truly raw cashews, soaked for an hour or so to soften
the juice from a few stalks of celery (run some celery through a juicer, use about 1/4 cup of the juice)
a splash or 2 of chardy, or any white wine you might be drinking to warm up
one very small shallot (about a tablespoon finely chopped worth)
a dash of fresh lemon juice and a wide thumbnail sized piece of lemon rind
lots of himalayan sea salt to taste
a dash of fresh ground pepper
Blend all these things in a high speed blender with some of the cashew soaking water until it is creamy, medium thickness. I made mine a bit thinner than I normally would have but it worked out nicely - the dish was fresh and summe- er.. springy.
The Rest:
one gigantic yellow zucchini (check the size of this, bigger than my forearm!) shaved with a veg peeler or made into your fave style of noodle if you have a spiral slicer (personally, I give up on my spiral slicer, it kind of sucks). don't use the middle with the seeds, it doesn't make very sturdy noodles.
Place the shaved zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with plenty of sea salt and toss. Let sit for half of an hour. Squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini noodles by grabbing a handful and, well, squeezing.
Thinly slice some white onion, bell pepper and halve some grape tomatoes. Toss with olive oil and sea salt and place on a dehydrator screen for about an hour at 115 or so. If you go higher in temperature for an hour (about 145 degrees), apparently it won't heat the food up but will dry it faster so go nuts. Doesn't this photo look like a bad 80's photo from a sandwich counter in a food court?
The Assembly:
oh I forgot, shuck some fresh peas that you just bought at the market. A few handfuls will do.
place the squeezed noodles, peas and some of the cashew cream sauce in a bowl and toss well to coat. Put it onto some plates and add the rest of the 'wilted' dehydrator vegetables. Garnish with something nice like an oregano leaf, or kale chips, or both.
Don't forget more fresh pepper.
If you have truffle oil, this would probably be a good time to use it - just thought of that - post meal of course. I love truffle oil.
If you have other nice fresh veg on hand like asparagus add it to your wilted veg pile.
Yum!
As for the market, I turned to my friend and said 'you know, I could be happy just designing chocolate labels forever' - and I was serious. I was up till 4am because I forgot that my 2 new white chocolate flavours (lavender peach & wintergreen vanilla) needed labels. I wonder if I wasn't so delirious at 4am if I would have thought of such great titles. If you are wondering, the 'clean' in the 'peachy clean' comes from lavender being often referred to as something people would use in the shower, not in the kitchen - just in case my 4am wit outsmarted anyone. Does anyone know the inspiration for 'A Midwinter's White Cream'?
I will post the Peaches & Cream Pie recipe soon, it sold out today, first time I've ever made it - stoked!
Also, if you need to email me: julie@lookcreative.ca
Fin.
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