Entertaining in the Raw - Matthew Kenney [17]
Cubist Mushrooms and White Asparagus with Red Pepper Curry Sauce and Black Sesame Crackers
I’ve always been a fan of Picasso and have read numerous books about his work and life. I am especially enamored of his ability to work in many different mediums throughout his career, always with success. The Cubist period was so inventive, so unique, that it will always be respected in the art world. Morel mushrooms reminded me of an earlier work of his, and that fact, along with the presence of other earth tones, gave this dish its title.
Asparagus
8 spears white asparagus
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
Mushrooms
Morels
12 morels, soaked in water and rinsed 2–3 times
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Black pepper
1-1/2 cups vegetable stock
Almond Mushrooms
4 almond mushrooms, lightly brushed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Black pepper
Enoki Mushrooms
1 cup enoki mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch salt
Curry Sauce
1-1/2 cups puréed and strained red bell pepper
2 cups cubed mango
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons curry powder
Crackers
2 cups black sesame seeds
1 cup flax meal
3 Roma tomatoes
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup water
Pinch cayenne
Asparagus Cut asparagus on a bias into 1-1/2-inch lengths. Toss with remaining ingredients; spread out in a shallow pan. Let “poach” in dehydrator at 115 degrees F for 4–6 hours, or until asparagus pieces are tender.
Morels Cut morels lengthwise in half or in thirds. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on dehydrator Teflex sheets and dehydrate 1–2 hours. Spread in a shallow pan and pour in vegetable stock. Cover pan in plastic wrap and place in bottom of dehydrator for 3–4 hours at 115 degrees F.
Almond Mushrooms Cut almond mushrooms into eighths. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on dehydrator Teflex sheets and dehydrate 1–2 hours.
Enoki Mushrooms Trim 1 inch from base of mushrooms and discard; place trimmed mushrooms in a bowl. Toss with olive oil and salt. Cover bowl and reserve.
Curry Sauce Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix.
Crackers Place black sesame seeds and flax meal in a bowl and set aside. Blend remaining ingredients in Vita-Mix until smooth and pour into a bowl. Mix with sesame seeds and flax meal until well combined. Spread thinly on Teflex sheets and score into desired shape. Dehydrate until crisp.
Assembly Pour a generous amount of sauce on plates to cover bottoms—intersperse mushrooms and asparagus very freely on plate. Garnish with crackers. Serves 4–6
Shiitake Ravioli with Broccoli Rabe, Balsamic Fig Purée, and Ginger Cream
Around the time I began working with raw foods, I was also practicing a lot of yoga, about two hours each day in the early afternoon. As I grew more comfortable in my postures, my mind began to expand; and after the sessions, I did my best thinking. I was pressed for a new dish for a potential magazine article about what I was working on and, with very little practical experience with this cuisine, a variation of this dish appeared in my imagination. In execution, it was exactly as I had envisioned, along with a substantial amount of extra labor that I did not plan for. The concept is one that can be applied to many different dishes—simply by changing the vegetable or modifying the sauce with different spices. For example, a bok choy, sesame, and ginger filling with a curry cream would be excellent.
Wrappers
4 young Thai coconuts
Filling and Rabe
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
Salt
Pepper
2 cups broccoli rabe, cut into 2-inch lengths
Purée
6 dried figs
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons raw agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon ground anise seed
Cream
1 cup cashews,