I’m so smitten with this recipe. It takes minutes to whip up, and it’s such a lovely substitute for dairy in SO many recipes. It’s not meant to taste like cheese or butter, but to lend rich, dairy-free creaminess to a dish that calls for it. And it does it well!
* This is the basic recipe and can easily be embellished any way you want. So use as-is, or herb'n'spice it up however you like!
YIELD approx 2 1/2 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 can full-fat canned coconut milk (1 2/3 cups)
1 2/3 cups raw, whole cashews
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine ingredients in a high powered blender or small food processor (I actually use my immersion blender in a large mason jar) and process until smooth. This will likely take several minutes, depending on the strength of your machine. The smoother, the better, so don't be shy!
2. If you need to drizzle this over a dish, just add a little water until it’s the consistency you like.
NOTES
If you soak the cashews overnight, do so in filtered water with 1/4 tablespoon of salt, and then rinse and pat dry. The consistency of your sauce will be smoother and a tad thinner, and you'll decrease the phytic acid content. However, I have no trouble using un-soaked cashews in a pinch - just makes for a slightly courser texture. Yummy, all the same!