Cashew ‘cream’ sauce is highlight of this vegan dish
Cashew ‘cream’ sauce is highlight of this vegan dish
Most people today understand what it means to be vegetarian — avoiding meats, poultry and seafood in their diets. In fact, the ever-rising popularity of farmers markets makes it possible for more and more food lovers to consider themselves at least part-time vegetarians, enjoying the pleasures and health benefits of meals without animal proteins at least several times a week.
Widespread familiarity with vegetarianism has, in turn, led to more particular choices when it comes to the foods we eat. There are lacto-vegetarians, who include dairy products in plantbased diets; ovo-vegetarians, who eat eggs; and, of course, lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Pescatarians — fish-eaters who won’t eat any other animals — deserve a mention, too.
Then there’s the most observant vegetarian category of all: vegans, who avoid any animal products whatsoever. That means no butter, no cheese, no milk, no eggs — nothing at all derived from animals. And you find that more and more people interested in healthy eating today follow strictly vegan diets, with celebrities that include Gwyneth Paltrow, New England Patriots superstar quarterback Tom Brady and Brady’s supermodel wife, Gisele Bundchen, all touting the health benefits of strictly plant-based nutrition.
With veganism gaining an ever-higher profile, it’s only natural that my chefs and I get more and more frequent requests for vegan dishes. Now you might think that we’d find it challenging to prepare delicious, even luxurious-tasting food following such restrictions. But in fact, more and more products are widely available that make vegan cooking not only possible, but actually a pleasure.
You can find vegan “cheeses” and even vegan cultured “butter” spreads made from nuts and oils, for example. And it’s also possible in your own kitchen to prepare “cream” sauces based on nuts, which turn wonderfully smooth and rich when pureed in a blender, leading many people who sample the results to doubt that a dish made in this way doesn’t include dairy.
Don’t just take my word for it, either. Instead, try the following authentic-tasting Italian recipe, which was developed by my team at Wolfgang Puck Catering. The dish features fresh gnocchi, the traditional bite-sized potat-oand-flour pasta dumplings, which you can find vacuum-packaged and ready to cook in the refrigerated section of many well-stocked supermarkets and in Italian delis. If you want to make sure you’re being strictly vegan, check the ingredients listed on the package, and select a brand that doesn’t include eggs. You’ll also want to look for a store-bought, dairy-free Parmesan cheese. Roasted cashew nuts, pureed in a food processor, are the source of the rich-tasting, garlicky “cream” sauce.
You and your family and friends may find it hard to believe this easy, delicious recipe is actually vegan. And you may realize you’re one step closer to following a plant-based diet yourselves.
VEGAN GNOCCHI WITH MUSHROOMS, GARLIC AND CASHEW CREAM SAUCE Serves 4 For the gnocchi:
1 12- to-16-ounce package fresh gnocchi
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 quarts cultivated mushrooms,
cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig fresh thyme
For the cashew cream sauce:
1/2 cup raw cashews, roasted in a 350-degree oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup good-quality canned
vegetable stock or broth
To assemble:
Nonstick cooking spray
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup store-bought grated vegan Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt Chopped fresh chives, for serving
Directions:
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic and thyme, and saute, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to turn golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the thyme sprig, and set the mushrooms aside.
Put the cashews and water in a food processor fitted with the stainless-steel blade. Process until the nuts form a smooth paste, stopping as necessary to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add half of the sauteed mushrooms, and process again until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Transfer the puree to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with a whisk. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook until thick and creamy, about 1 minute, adding a little of the vegetable stock if necessary to thin the sauce to coating consistency.
To prepare the gnocchi for serving, heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the cashew cream sauce, gnocchi, remaining sauteed mushrooms, grated Parmesan, pepper and salt; cook until thoroughly heated through.
Spoon the gnocchi, mushrooms and sauce into individual heated serving bowls or plates. Garnish with chives and more Parmesan, and serve immediately.