Raw Cashew Cheese
As discussed in an earlier article, soaking and re-hydrating nuts makes them easier on your digestive process. When you are making a raw food product like cashew cheese, pre-soaking the nuts also makes them softer, allowing for easier blending in the food processor or Cuisinart. There is a bit of planning involved with this recipe, as the cheese must set up for a period of around 24 hours before it is ready for eating. Prior to that, the nuts themselves must be allowed to soak for a period of time in purified or distilled water. Make this cheese as a perfect snack or hors d'oeuvre for a party, just make sure to plan a couple of days in advance. This shouldn't be considered the "make it an hour before the guests arrive" kind of dish.
For a recipe yield of about 1 ¼ cups of Raw Cashew Cheese, follow these instructions. Consider doubling the recipe for a small party of ten or less guests; for a snack item for the week, make this amount and keep the cheese stored in the refrigerator.
Ingredients for Making Raw Cashew Cheese
1 ½ cups raw cashews
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon sea salt
Put the cashews in a bowl and add enough cold, distilled water to cover the nuts by about two inches. Soak the cashews for around 2 hours, and then drain them.
Combine the cashews, 1/3 cup water, lemon juice, garlic cloves and sea salt in a food processor and blend them together. Be careful to scrape down the sides of the blender. Continue to blend the mixture for about 5 minutes, or until all of it is very smooth.
Place the cheese in a small bowl or Tupperware, and cover it, allowing it to stand at room temperature for between 24 and 48 hours, but not longer. After the 24 hours, refrigerate the cashew cheese until you are ready to eat it. The cheese will keep for not more than 5 days, if kept covered and refrigerated.
