{ raw vegan, gluten-free, serves 2-4 as appetizer }
One of the easiest, most brilliant ways to introduce yourself or anyone to raw foods is to mimic a fried food preparation. All of the texture, flavor, crunch, heartiness, and messy fingers exist plentifully without any of the health consequences like clogged arteries, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity. Not only that, all of the vitamins, minerals, and digestive enzymes are intact to nourish your body the best way possible.
There’s a plethora of choices when it comes to what vegetables to use for a “fritto misto”. The key is to make sure that they’re not too thick and cut uniformly so that their sizes and weights allow them to crisp up evenly. And what fun would finger food be without a delicious dipping sauce? Meyer lemons are abundant this time of year and I’m IN LOVE with them. They taste like a cross between a lemon and an orange. Fair warning…this tahini sauce blended with meyer lemon juice, basil, and garlic is incredibly addicting. Use it on everything!
To prepare the “fritto misto”:
2 cups cauliflower florets, sliced about 1/4″ thick
small bunch thin asparagus, trimmed
1/2 large fennel bulb, sliced thin (about 1 cup)
6 green onions, trimmed and cut into halves
juice of 1/2 lemon
extra virgin olive oil
1 cup golden flax meal
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp finely minced garlic
1 tsp sea salt + 1/2 tsp
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne
Put the vegetables in a large bowl, squeeze over lemon juice, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp sea salt, carefully toss to coat and allow to marinate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl combine the flax meal, 1 tsp sea salt, thyme, rosemary, garlic, cayenne, and black pepper. Mix with a fork until well blended.
Drain off any excess liquid from the vegetables and drizzle them liberally with extra virgin olive oil. Take about 3 to 4 veggies at a time and completely coat them in the flax meal mixture, then place on lined dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for about 4 to 5 hours, or until the veggies reach desired crispness.
Meyer lemon basil tahini:
1/2 cup raw tahini
1/2 cup packed fresh basil
juice of 1 meyer lemon
small garlic clove
1/2 tsp sea salt
cold water for thinning
Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Use the water to thin as necessary, until the tahini sauce is smooth and creamy.
<3, JMK
