Entertaining in the Raw - Matthew Kenney [8]
Squash Blossoms
24 stemmed and cleaned squash blossoms (carefully clean and wash blossoms, leaving less than 1 inch of stem)
Purée
3 cups pistachios, soaked 1–2 hours
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons raw agave
Fondue
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups chopped green zebra tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup julienned basil
Garnish
1-1/4 cups roughly chopped pine nuts
Purple basil leaves
Purée Process ingredients in a food processor 3–5 minutes until smooth.
Fondue Toss olive oil and tomatoes together in a bowl. Place bowl in a dehydrator for 1–2 hours. Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix until very smooth, season with salt and pepper, and stir in basil.
Assembly Stuff the squash blossoms with purée until plump. Divide the fondue and place on the bottom of each plate. Top each with 6 squash blossoms. Garnish with chopped pine nuts and purple basil. Serves 4
Ginger Cantaloupe “Gelato” and Watermelon Granité with Muscat Honeydew Purée
Back in the day when I used to be a frequent restaurant patron, I would go to great lengths to dine at New York’s best restaurants. The original Bouley in Tribeca was a phenomenal place, with food and décor that were always magical. David Bouley, the chef and owner, offered each guest a special dish after main courses, just before dessert. It was light melon soup with some of the lightest sorbets I have ever had. The combination of two soft cool textures together is something I never forgot—this dish is inspired by that.
“Gelato”
1/2 cup cashews, soaked 1–2 hours
1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked 1–2 hours
1/4 cup coconut meat
3/4 cup raw agave
2-1/2 cups cantaloupe juice
1/4 cup ginger juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
Granité
1 medium-size ripe watermelon
1/4 cup raw agave
Purée
1/2 cup semisweet white wine, preferably Riesling
1 honeydew melon, seeded and blended
1/4 cup raw agave
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Garnish
Fresh mint leaves, lavender sprigs, or edible flowers
“Gelato” Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix until smooth. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.
Granité Mash watermelon through a medium chinois. Add agave and freeze in a shallow pan. Allow the top to begin to freeze, about 2 hours, then lightly mash with a fork. Continue this every couple of hours until the mixture is frozen and flaky.
Purée Blend all ingredients in Vita-Mix until very smooth.
Assembly Place two scoops of “gelato” and one scoop of granité in each of four bowls. Pour enough honeydew purée into each bowl to reach halfway up the sides of the “gelato.” Float a few mint leaves or flowers in the purée for garnish. Serves 4–6
Frozen Chocolate Pudding with Cinnamon-Glazed Plums, Chocolate Basil Wafers, and Vanilla Bean–Plum Syrup
I dare anyone not to like chocolate and plums. Is that even possible? It seems that everyone loves chocolate these days. I like to combine it with seasonal fruits, particularly stone fruits, which provide a good balance with their tartness and also a slightly nontraditional pairing.
Pudding
2 cups cashews, soaked 1–2 hours
2 cups coconut meat
1 cup water
1-1/4 cups raw agave
1 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1-1/4 cups cacao powder
2 tablespoons raw carob powder
Plums
1 cup raw agave
3 tablespoons ginger juice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground star anise
Pinch salt
8 plums, various sizes and colors if possible, halved, pitted, and cut into eighths
Wafers
2-1/2 cups cashew flour
1-3/4 cups oat flour
1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 cup water
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup packed fresh