Entertaining in the Raw - Matthew Kenney [30]
Shiitake Bisteeya with Ginger-Cilantro Sauce, Candied Almonds, and Wilted Spinach
I credit my ability to be creative with raw food to the exotic foods I experimented with over many years as a traditional chef and as a consumer of pretty much any food that was available throughout the world. The first time I saw a bisteeya, it was awe-inspiring. Standing in the courtyard of a private palace in Morocco, I saw the chefs carrying silver trays with the giant crackling, sugar-coated, savory pies known as bisteeya. These were filled with chicken, pigeon, almonds, sugar, egg, and spices—and were utterly delicious. In fact, on a food tour of Morocco, I visited a cooking school outside of Rabat, which specialized in teaching the preparation of Warka, the pastry specifically made for this dish. The school was mesmerizing—for its silence and also for the fact that it was only available to women.
To serve Bisteeya implies a celebration of sorts, and that is what we had in mind for our Moroccan Friday at The Plant with this raw version. I can’t claim that it is as crispy as the original version, but it is quite tasty, nonetheless.
Bisteeya Wrappers
Recipe coconut wrappers (see page 221)
Bisteeya Mushrooms
1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
Candied Almonds
6 cups almonds
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon sea salt
1-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cups maple powder
Sauce
1/4 cup minced ginger
1/4 cup almonds, soaked 4 hours
1 cup water
2 tablespoons raw agave
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Salt
Spinach
1 cup young spinach leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Salt and pepper
Garnish
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
Bisteeya Mushrooms Toss shiitake slices with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then dehydrate on Teflex sheets for 30–60 minutes.
Candied Almonds Soak nuts overnight; drain. Dehydrate 24 hours. In a large bowl, coat dehydrated nuts with maple syrup. Combine vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and maple powder, and stir into nuts until they are well coated. Dehydrate on screens for 48 hours.
Sauce Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix until smooth.
Spinach Combine all ingredients and dehydrate 20 minutes.
Assembly Mix mushrooms with candied nuts, cilantro leaves, and enough sauce to bind them together.
Cut each sheet of wrappers into 3 strips, and cut those in half. Place a dollop of filling at the near end of wrapper and fold over, corner to corner, to make triangle shapes.
Scatter spinach on plates, top with bisteeya, and garnish with cinnamon and turmeric. Serves 4
Spring Vegetable Tagine with Couscous, Harissa, and Cumin Flatbread
Despite working with the far-out flavors and techniques associated with raw food, I still have a great respect for tradition. This is especially the case with Moroccan food, which I fell in love with many times. As a result, I was somewhat skeptical about my chance of success in reinterpreting a couscous dish, but it did work. The flavors were deep and exotic, and overall the dish was lighter than I expected. There are many variations, but this one keeps in tune with history, using classical and common ingredients.
Tagine
Asparagus and tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus, cut on a bias in 1-1/2-inch lengths
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pint cherry or pear tomatoes (preferably yellow and red)
Vegetable stock
2 stalks celery
1 carrot
1 tomato, crushed
2 cups water
1 sprig thyme
3 black peppercorns
Fava Beans and Mushrooms
1 cup peeled fava beans
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup oyster mushrooms
1 cup cremini mushrooms
Couscous
2 large jicama, peeled and roughly chopped
2/3 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper