Cashew and ground fennel seed spread

Rank kitchen

I love to eat. For me, food is a source of energy, a source of pleasure, and above all, the foundation of my well-being. Over time, I binge less, I become more selective about the foods I consume; I eat less, I drink less, I am in constant search of optimal health. Thus, I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains. My homemade bread has been the basis of my diet for over 40 years. Made from local and organic flours, risen with a quality sourdough starter, it makes up most of my breakfasts and dinners. I have reduced fat and am becoming more and more selective in this regard. I have reduced cow's milk in favor of goat and sheep's milk products. In fact, I love fresh goat cheese, aged sheep's milk cheeses as a substitute for Parmesan, such as Zacharie Cloutier and Fleur des Monts. I enjoy sheep's milk yogurt, especially from the Nouvelle-France cheese factory, which incidentally produces Zacharie Cloutier. Just recently, I discovered Natura's original unsweetened organic oat milk. It was about time we had access to a plant-based milk of this quality. In the morning, I make myself a black tea by pouring oat milk into it and melting a touch of honey. So much better for the body than coffee! I also like to make myself a cashew spread that I ferment for 12 hours with sauerkraut juice and season with ground fennel seeds. Divine as a dip or in a sandwich with cherry tomatoes. Here is the recipe for this faux mage that I would describe as creamy, decadent, and potentially addictive. Beware!

Cashew and ground fennel seed spread (per 500 ml of spread)

Ingredients

• 500 ml of cashew nuts
• 3 slices of chopped sweet onion
• 200 ml of water
• 30 ml of sauerkraut juice or other lactofermentation
• 5 ml ground fennel seeds
• 60 ml olive oil
• 30 ml lemon juice
• 5 ml of salt

Preparation

Cover the cashews with water and let them soak for 6 hours. Drain the nuts and use the soaking water for your plants. In a blender, combine the nuts, onion slices, water, and lacto juice. Blend until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it ferment at room temperature for 12 hours. After fermentation, add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and ground fennel seeds. Stir well and store in the refrigerator in tightly sealed glass jars. The spread will keep for 10 days. In my next installment, I'll share a butternut squash salad recipe with the spread on top. Keep about 125 ml to complete this salad.

Variants

You can substitute the lacto juice with rice miso or kefir. For a North African touch, you can season with cumin, but nothing beats freshly ground fennel seeds. You like my culinary approach and my recipes! You will discover my food philosophy as well as 200 recipes in my book The Daily Feast .

A great gift idea!

Yves Gagnon, author and seed producer.