Vegan Cheese, an Option for Entertaining "Those People" -

How many times have you planned a dinner party and while agonising over your menu, you realise that someone in the group is vegetarian, vegan or on some sort of prohibitive diet. “Those people”, as you may call them! I am sure we are called “Those People” often because of my spouse, The Vegetarian. I, on the other hand, am a carnivore but ever so often I am struck with the idea that I could be vegan. That never lasts long, but I do enjoy my fair share of meat free meals and I really like experimenting with other options. This vegan cheese was one of them. Truth be told, this will not for everyone. However, it might be worth a try when you are faced with a vegan coming for dinner. And yes, I admit that I just love the retro look of having this moulded “cheese” option.

This recipe was shared with us by Agora Products using one of the recipes from Salt Odyssey. Salt Odyssey has a wonderful range of quality salts from Greece. Most of their recipes are vegan and we have tried a few in our test kitchen. Check out the ones we’ve tried and adapted in our Recipes section. Or visit Salt Odyssey for more information on their Executive Chef Kostas Magoulas and more recipes. Tips and optional items are our own suggestions.

Dairy free, Vegan Cheese from Cashew Nuts

Recipe by Executive Chef Kostas Magoulas

Ingredients:

80 grams of cashew nuts, raw and unsalted
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tbs agar powder
1 tsp of Salt Odyssey® Fleur de sel
Tip: taste the mixture and add or decrease the amount of salt as required
250 grams of water + 250 grams of hot water (filtered if possible)
Tip: the total amount of water needed is 500 grams. Mixing hot and cold water together enables the agar to melt and bind.
2 tbs nutritional yeast

Method:

Soak the cashews in water for at least 10 minutes or more. You will notice that they will expand a bit.
Drain the cashews.
In a blender, add all the ingredients.
Blend on maximum speed for two minutes (continuously)
Transfer the blended mixture to a non-stick pan on medium heat.
Cook for 3 minutes, stirring continuously until it forms a thick texture.
Transfer the liquid to a mould and cover with cling wrap.
Allow to set in the fridge for two hours or until solid.
Once solid, you should be able to cut it into slices to serve.