Recipe: Beet Ravioli with Balsamic Pickled Figs and Green Garlic Oil

the appetizer:

The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen, includes healthy, meatless recipes like Cashew Cream; Beet Ravioli with Balsamic Pickled Figs and Green Garlic Oil; Agave-Lime Grilled Tofu with Asian Slaw and Mashed Sweet Potatoes; and Paella with "Sausage," Nori-Dusted Oyster Mushrooms, and Wine-Braised Artichoke Hearts.

Cookbook

Beet Ravioli
with Balsamic Pickled Figs and Green Garlic Oil

Makes 6 to 8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes, plus 1 day for pickling and culturing

This is an easy recipe that makes a gorgeous, colorful plate—and the leftovers are great for sandwiches. Agave is similar to honey, but it has a lighter taste,The marinade here is sweet and savory, and when you reduce it in the pan after the tofu is cooked, it turns into a wonderfully sticky glaze.

NOTE: This recipe needs to be started a day in advance, but requires very little last-minute preparation.

For the Green Garlic Oil

1 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Pinch of sea salt
2 cups grapeseed oil or mild olive oil
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped young garlic

For the Pickled Figs

2 cups small dried figs
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Pinch of coarse sea salt
1 cup balsamic vinegar

For the Beets

2 large beets
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch asparagus spears, shaved with a vegetable peeler
1 tablespoon toasted pumpkin seed oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
Coarse sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

For the Cashew Cheese

2 cups whole raw cashews
1 teaspoon New Chapter All-Flora probiotic (use the powder
from 6 capsules),or any other probiotic powder
of comparable quality, dissolved in 1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Make the green garlic oil:

In a blender, combine the chives, parsley, salt, and oil and blend until very smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, stirring gently to allow the oil to flow through. Discard the solids. Add the garlic to the oil and set aside to infuse at room temperature for 1 day.

Make the pickled figs:

Put the figs, thyme, and salt in a nonreactive bowl or large jar and cover with the vinegar. Set aside to macerate at room temperature for 1 day.

Make the cashew cheese:

Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 12 to 14 hours. Drain and rinse the cashews under warm water.

Place the nuts in a blender with the probiotic mixture. Blend on high for several minutes, until very smooth. Transfer to a clean glass bowl, cover with cheesecloth, and set in a warm place for 14 to 16 hours to culture.

Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. Scoop 1/2 cup of the cheese into a pastry bag. (Leftover cashew cheese will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)

Make the beets:

Peel the beets and use a mandoline or a very sharp knife to slice them paper thin. Gently toss the slices with a drizzle of green garlic oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Let marinate for 1 hour.

Place a slice of beet on a work surface and mound 1 tablespoon of the cashew cheese in the center. Cover with a second beet slice. Repeat with the remaining beet slices and cheese. Arrange 6 ravioli in the center of each serving plate.

In a small bowl, toss the asparagus with the pumpkin seed oil and divide among the plates, piling in the center of the ravioli. Scatter the pickled figs and chives over the plates, drizzle with green garlic oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

from:
The Conscious Cook
Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat
by Tal Ronnen
William Morrow Cookbooks 2009
Hardcover; $29.99; 240 pages
ISBN-10: 0061874337
ISBN-13: 9780061874338
Reprinted by permission.

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