Lemon Tomato Salad on a Bed of Vegan Ricotta

I am so excited to share this third vegan recipe in my new series… it’s a recipe from my cookbook that I made vegan! The original recipe was a tomato salad on a bed of whipped cottage cheese or ricotta, topped with beurre noisette (brown butter) and topped with cheese curds… omg! It’s a hit every time but not ideal when you have lactose intolerant or vegan guests. So I concocted with the help of my friends Margaux and Katrine (from K for Katrine), a vegan ricotta made with cashew nuts… for the beurre noisette, we add almond butter to plant-based butter to get that little nutty taste. And finally, to replace the cheese curds, we roast pine nuts in plant-based butter and nutritional yeast.

I really hope you try this recipe! Whether it's this version or the one in my book, they are perfect for taking advantage of the last tomatoes of the season! Go make it!!

Servings: 4-6 as a starter

Preparation: 30 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

Ingredients :

Cashew ricotta:

• 2 cups raw, unsalted cashews
• 2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¾ cup cold water
• Pepper from the mill, to taste

Tomatoes:

• 3 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced ​​or quartered
• 6 to 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• Zest of a lemon
• Juice of half a lemon
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ cup vegetable butter
• 1 tsp almond butter

Toppings:

• ½ cup pine nuts
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp vegetable butter
• Basil leaves
• Flat leaf parsley leaves
• A pinch of sumac

To serve:

• Gluten-free or regular bread, toasted

Steps:

1. Add raw cashews to a bowl and pour boiling water over them…just enough to cover – let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the pine nuts, nutritional yeast and plant-based butter. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pine nuts are lightly browned. Set aside.
3. For the "brown" butter replacement - heat a skillet over medium high heat and add ¼ cup of the vegetable butter and the almond butter. Melt and stir to incorporate, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
4. When the cashews are hydrated, drain and add to the container of a Vitamix-style blender. Add the other ingredients for the ricotta and blend until smooth and creamy. Reserve in the refrigerator.
5. Cut tomatoes into different shapes – slices or wedges and try to choose different varieties and colors… it makes the plate look beautiful.
6. To serve, add the vegan ricotta to the bottom of a large serving dish and spread it out with a spoon. Add the tomatoes and salt. Dot with the brown butter and toasted pine nuts. Add the parsley and basil leaves and a pinch of sumac. Enjoy with toast. SO good.