Happy first day of July. Took a break from blogging after feeling at a crossroads. I’ve put my heart and soul into this website over the past 10 years, though was questioning whether it’s still worth the time and energy?

The reality is that I love cooking and sharing recipes, whether I have a small, medium or large readership. It’s made me a better, more adventurous [self-taught] cook and those are skills that are important to me. Life is full of ups and downs; regardless, what I enjoy most at the end of the day is sitting down to a nourishing, home cooked meal with those I love. So, the blog continues.

Ok, now that I got that off my chest, let’s talk about vegan cashew ‘yogurt.’ I’m probably late to the game, but this is a whole new discovery for me. I came across this idea in Gregory Gourdet’s new cookbook, Everyone’s Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health. I’ve tried several of his recipes so far and am loving his book.

Have made sweet versions of cashew cream (with a drizzle of dark maple syrup and vanilla extract, YUM), but never thought about a savory version. The key is soaking the cashews for 72 hours (rinsing and soaking every day) until the cashews develop a subtle sour note. I’ve tried soaking for shorter amounts of time, but it really does benefit from a longer soak. From there I added a bunch of herbs (mint, parsley, cilantro, chives, dill, tarragon — basically, whatever was growing in my garden), sherry vinegar, a clove of garlic, a serrano chile, squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper.

Simply served with pan-roasted Vadouvan (curry) spiced cauliflower. You could easily substitute with your favorite curry spice blend and/or roast the cauliflower in the oven on a sheet pan.

Cauliflower is in season here, so I’ve been eating my fair share. If you’re a cauliflower fan, check out some of my other cauliflower recipes:

Cauliflower Steaks with Two Salsas
Roasted Cauliflower with Herbed Yogurt, Pomegranate Molasses and Smoked Paprika Oil
Shawarma-Spiced Cauliflower with Herb Tahini Sauce
Indian-Spiced Roasted Cauliflower
Charred Cauliflower with Chermoula
Cauliflower Steak with Hazelnut Gremolata & Cauliflower Puree

Cauliflower with Herbed Cashew ‘Yogurt’

2-3 tablespoons olive oil, more if needed
2 small shallots, sliced
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tbsp curry spice blend (I used Vadouvan), more or less to taste
Herbed cashew ‘yogurt’ (recipe below)
Chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

Heat a large skillet with olive oil. When hot, add the shallots and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower (and more olive oil if needed) and curry blend and sauté until golden brown. Top with chopped parsley or cilantro. Serve with the herbed cashew ‘yogurt.’

Herbed Cashew ‘Yogurt’

1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup loosely packed combination of fresh herbs (mint, parsley, cilantro, chives, dill, tarragon, etc.)
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Squeeze of half lime
1 serrano chile, minced
salt and pepper

Place cashews in a bowl, cover with water and soak for 24 hours. Rinse and repeat, two more times, for a total of 72 hours. Rinse under cold water and drain.

Combine the cashews and 1/2 cup water in a high-speed blender and blend until very smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until well combined.