Jicama Carrot Gnocchi over Pea Mint Pesto
with Horseradish Flax Seed Crisps
Sounds sophisticated, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not that tricky to prepare but you need a bit of time to pull it off. You can even prepare a few things in advance if your schedule doesn’t allow to prepare everything at once.
Ingredients & Preparation for 4-8 Servings
Horseradish Flax Seed Crisps (make ahead)
1 cup flax seeds, 1/2 cup freshly chopped horseradish, 1 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 300F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Soak the flax seeds in the water for about 1 hour. In a food processor, combine soaked flax seeds, peeled and chopped horseradish and salt for 2 minutes until all sticks together like a rough paste. With a spatula, spread paste thinly on the prepared sheet pan (you might even need two pans). Bake at 300F for about 90 minutes until even the center is crisp. Let cool and break into uneven pieces. Store in an airtight container lined with kitchen towels for up to a week.
Jicama Carrot Gnocchi
1/4 peeled jicama (1/2 cup chopped), 3 large peeled carrots (2 cups chopped), 2 cups raw cashews, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp agave syrup, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, 1 tsp fresh thyme
Soak the cashews in hot water for at least 1 hour (or 4-6 hours in cold water). Preheat the oven to 300F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Wash and peel the jicama and carrots, chop in rough pieces and blend them in a powerful food processor until pureed. You might have to discard excess water at this point. Now add the drained cashews, the olive oil, agave syrup, salt, washed parsley and mint. Blend for a minute or two until you have a smooth paste. With two teaspoons, form gnocchi and set on the prepared sheet pan. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes.
Pea Mint Pesto (make ahead)
2 cups frozen peas, 2 cups fresh pea shoots, 1 cup fresh mint leaves, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup olive oil
In a food processor, puree peas, pea shoots, mint and salt until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed. Keep the processor in motion and add the olive oil slowly and blend until well combined. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Plate Artfully
To serve as your entree: First, place 4 tablespoons of the pesto (you can warm it in the microwave prior to plating) in the middle of a plate. Top artfully with 12 gnocchi and place a few horseradish crisps next to the gnocchi. Garnish with fresh pea shoots.
Alternatively, serve cold as a starter: Use 2 tablespoons cold pesto, top with 6 gnocchi, add crisps and garnish with pea shoots.
PS: I did not invent this recipe – I simply adapted a raw, vegan one from the creative mastermind, Matthew Kenney, found in his cookbook “Plant Food”.
