Charlie Trotter : Crusted Cashew Cheese

From Charlie Trotter's "RAW", takes 3 days to prepare.

Three Peppercorn-Crusted Cashew Cheese With Honeycomb And Balsamic Vinegar
Serves 4

This is a stunning combination of textures and flavors. First, there are the juxtapositions of the crunchy peppercorn pieces and the creamy cheese, the crispy Smoked Almonds and the chewy dried apricots, the erotic gooeyness of the honeycomb mounds and the elegant crispiness of the thyme sprouts. Then we have heat, sweetness, pepperiness, sourness, and acidity all rolled into one. The result is a complex, yet harmonious, enticement.

Smoked Almonds
1 cup raw almonds, soaked for 8 to 10 hours in filtered water
1/4 teaspoon smoked salt, crushed

1 cup Cashew Cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons green peppercorns, crushed
1 tablespoon pink peppercorn shells, crushed
1/4 pound honeycomb, broken into small pieces just before using
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
4 teaspoons 12-year-old Villa Manodori balsamic vinegar
8 teaspoons micro thyme sprouts
Celtic sea salt

To Make the Cashew Cheese:
Yields 3 cups

3 cups raw cashews, soaked for 10 to 12 hours in filtered water and drained
1/4 cup Rejuvelac (see below)
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

In a high-speed blender or a Champion juicer with the blank plate in place, process the cashews until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Rejuvelac and salt, mixing well. Line a sieve with a double thickness of cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Transfer the mixture to the sieve, drape the cheesecloth over the top, and leave in a warm place to ripen for 12 hours.

Remove the cheese from the cloth-lined sieve. Shape the mixture into a round, place in a covered container, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, or until it firms up. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To make the Rejuvelac:
Yield 4 cups

1/2 cup wheat or rye berries
filtered water as needed

In the evening, place the wheat or rye berries in a sprouting jar, and fill the jar with water. Let stand overnight. The next morning, drain the berries and spread them on a sprouting rack (a plastic or glass rectangular container lined with wet paper towels can be substituted). Leave them to sprout for 1 to 2 days, rinsing them 3 times a day. They are ready when 1/4-inch tails have emerged.

Place the sprouts in a wide container with at least 3-inch-high sides and add 4 cups filtered water. Let stand in a warm spot for 12 to 14 hours, or until liquid smells lightly fermented.

Strain off the liquid (this is the Rejuvelac) into a clean jar. Use immediately, or cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The same sprouts may be used 3 more times to make additional Rejuvelac.

METHOD
To Make the Smoked Almonds: Drain the almonds, place in a bowl, and toss with the smoked salt. Spread the almonds on a nonstick drying sheeting on a dehydrator shelf and dehydrate at 105-degrees for 24 hours, or until crisp. Remove the almonds from the dehydrator, quarter 4 almonds lengthwise, and coarsely chop 8 almonds. Reserve the remaining almonds for another use.

To Prepare the Cheese:
Press the Cashew Cheese into a ring mold 5 inches in diameter and 1-inch deep. Combine all the peppercorns in a bowl, stir well, and then sprinkle the peppercorn mix onto the top of the cheese. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Carefully remove the cheese from the mold and cut into 4 wedges.

ASSEMBLY: Please a wedge of the peppercorn-crusted cheese on each plate. Arrange one-fourth of the honeycomb pieces, dried apriocots, and Smoked Almonds in a line down the plate. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the vinegar around the honeycomb pieces, apricots, and almonds. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the thyme sprouts and salt to taste.

WINE NOTES: Abundantly scented Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley reflects the honey, apricots, and smoked almond flavors of the dish. The Cashew Cheese is generously crusted with peppercorns, which adds up to some spicy heat. Savennieres made by Nicolas Joly is a unique and complex wine that becomes more focused when it is paired with this course. Joly is also one of the most outspoken champions of biodynamic farming.