Market Fruit. Sweet and Spicy Mustard Seeds. Fennel Crisps.
The sweet and spicy mustard alongside the fennel crisps and fruit is a perfect addition to any cheese plate. This recipe does not include the nut cheese!
For the fennel crisps
Grind the almonds, peel the zucchini, and coarsely chop the flaxseed.
You can use a small food processor to grind the almonds and flaxseed.
Using a high-speed blender, blend the ground almonds, oil, zucchini, lemon juice, nutritional yeast flakes, and salt until smooth. Pour contents of blender into bowl, add the ground flaxseed and fennel seed, and mix by hand.
Allow to set for 2–5 minutes and then spread batter approximately 0.8 cm thick onto a Texflex sheet. Dehydrate at 46 °C for one hour.
You can use parchment paper instead of Texflex sheets. Strict raw foodists can place the crackers on Texflex sheets or parchment paper in a dehydrator and set the temperature to 42 °C.
Then cut the crackers into 3 x 8 cm rectangles. Continue to dehydrate for 12 hours (or until the crisps are completely dry).
For the mustard
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Let set for about an hour to allow the mustard seeds to bloom.
Remove half of the mixture and blend in a high-speed blender, and then pour back into the bowl. Stir.
You may need to adjust the amount of liquid and/or agave syrup to achieve the desired consistency and sweetness.
Let set out at room temperature for 1–2 days and then refrigerate.
For the market fruit
Cut the fruit into bite-size pieces. Peel and grate the ginger.
The original recipe suggests apples, pears, berries, and stone fruits. You can choose according to taste and availability.
Combine fruit, vinegar, ginger, and thyme and store in a glass jar until serving.
Serving
Serve an assortment of the “cheese” types found in the cookbook with fennel crisps, mustard, and pickled seasonal fruit on the side.
If you don’t have this cookbook or the ingredients for any of the “cheese” recipes in it, you can make other type(s) of homemade cheese.
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
The sweet and spicy mustard alongside the fennel crisps and fruit is a perfect addition to any cheese plate. This recipe does not include the nut cheese!
Using this recipe: This recipe provides instructions for making homemade mustard, spicy fennel crisps, and pickled market fruit, a combination that goes well alongside vegan “cheese.” All together, these sides make for a refreshing, spicy addition to any “cheese” plate and at the same time is a feast for the eyes.
Amount of salt: The original recipe calls for ½ tbsp salt for the fennel crisps and 1 tbsp sea salt for the mustard. We have decided to cut the salt down to ½ tsp and 1 tsp respectively. If you prefer more salt, you can adjust the amount to suit your preferences.
Mustard oil glycosides: The mustard oil glycosides (glucosinolates) contained in the mustard seed give this recipe a unique flavor. Brown mustard seed, which is somewhat spicier and more aromatic than yellow mustard seed, contains the glucosinolate sinigrin. In contrast, white mustard contains the glucosinolate sinalbin. Both of these glucosinolates have the effect of stimulating appetite and digestion. Raw food or rather cooked food?: We have categorized this recipe as a cooked dish since the Mustard Herb Crackers are heated at temperatures above 42 °C. If you are not a strict raw foodist, you can use the temperature listed or dehydrate the crackers in the oven. In the latter case, set the temperature as low as possible (usually 50 °C) and leave the oven open a crack.
Tips
“Cheese variations”: If you have a copy of this cookbook, there are several types of cheese that you can try out. The recipes included are as follows: Simple Nut Cheese, Smoked Cashew Cheddar Cheese, Truffle Macadamia Cheese, Herbed Chèvre-Style Cheese, and Spirulina Blue Cheese. Prepare the cheese of your choice and arrange on a plate along with the sides from this recipe and then serve as an appetizer, snack, or dessert.
Freshly ground mustard powder: Many processed powders contain 80 % ground mustard, but they also include added herbs and wheat flour. The latter binds the powder better when it is added to foods and depending on the amount used may influence the thickness of the sauce. However, if you have mustard seeds, you can grind these in an electric coffee grinder or between two smooth surfaces. Depending on the seeds the powder contains, it will be somewhat hotter (brown or black seeds) or milder (yellow seeds).
Degree of hotness: To test how hot the mustard powder is, you can mix a smaller amount with a liquid such as water. The enzyme myrosinase contained in the mustard seed is only activated when it comes into contact with liquids. This enzyme turns the glucosinolates into various isothiocyanate compounds, which are frequently called “mustard oil.” This is the reason why mustard seeds don’t release flavor until they are chewed and table mustard containing water, on the other hand, is hot from the beginning.
Alternate preparation
Market fruit: You can use a wide variety of fruits to make the pickled market fruit. It is nice to select a range of colors as this makes this dish even more of an eye-catcher.
Mustard seed: To obtain the fullest flavor possible, it is best to use both yellow and brown mustard seed. However, if you only have one type, the recipe will still turn out well.
Our cheese recipes: In addition to the cheeses listed under “Tips,” you can also make a homemade cheese using one of our recipes. Homemade cheese is a special treat for guests as it is not a quick everyday recipe and is accordingly delicious and artistic in its presentation. You might try our raw vegan Cashew Cheese or our cooked Vegan Almond Cheese.
