{ raw vegan, gluten-free, serves many }
My stepmother, Marigene, has been in my life for nearly 20 years now. She’s from southern Alabama and was raised in the quintessential southern debutant fashion, à la modern day Gone with the Wind. I’ve always loved spending time with her not only because I am fabulously entertained, but I learn something new with every visit. She has served up better advice and educated me more on manners and etiquette than Ann Landers and Emily Post can dream up between the two of them. All with an incredibly light, charming, and witty sense of humor that only a southern belle can dish, with drawl and all.
So with a proper southern upbringing, your know-how on cuisine and family recipes are ingrained in your brain and your soul, then passed along. We southerners take our food quite seriously, and I thank my father, my paternal grandparents, and Marigene for ingraining it all into me. Things as simple sounding as say, a pimento cheese spread, has each his own family recipe.
With that said, this is my rawified version of Marigene’s pimento cheese spread, traditionally made with cottage cheese, mayo, and jarred pimentos. My version comes pretty darned close, I certainly think it captures the spirit. Marigene, this is for you! I think you’d be proud.
{ Caramelized Onion Flatbread }
Fresh pimento peppers are indigenous to Spain and the Mediterranean region. They’re a heart shaped bell pepper, with a flavor like a cross between a bell pepper and a cherry pepper. They can be difficult to find fresh, so it’s fine to substitute with red bell pepper, or mix bell pepper with a fresh cherry pepper. First cut them into large chunks, sprinkle with salt and olive oil, and put them in a dehydrator (or oven on lowest setting) until they soften.
For the pimento “cheese” spread:
1 1/2 cups raw macadamia nuts, soaked 10-12 hours
1/2 cup pine nuts, soaked for 4-6 hours
1 cup red bell pepper and/or cherry peppers, dehydrated until soft and diced
1/2 cup filtered water (to thin)
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs nutritional yeast
1 garlic clove
dash of hot sauce
1 tsp sea salt
Blend all ingredients except for the water in a food processor until well blended. Gradually add water until you get a thick, creamy consistency. The spread will be soft and fluffy. For a more dense cheese, spread onto a lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate until desired thickness and dryness is reached, then refrigerate. Pimento cheese spread will keep up to 5 days.
{ Great on celery too! }
Caramelized onion flatbread:
3 cups red onion, thinly sliced (will yield 1 cup reduced)
1 tsp agave
sea salt
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 cups roughly chopped zucchini
2 cups almond flour
1 cup golden flax meal
1/2 cup golden flax seeds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
2 tsp dried tarragon
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
freshly ground black pepper
First prepare the onions: place sliced onions in bowl, liberally season with sea salt, and allow to sit for about 1 hour. Drain excess liquid, drizzle in agave, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and mix well. Spread onto a lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 115 degrees for 2-3 hours, until onions are very soft, reduced and “caramelized”. This will yield about 1 cup.
Meanwhile, put almond flour, flax meal, and flax seeds in a large mixing bowl. Process the remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Pour into the dry ingredients, and mix well until very well blended. Divide mixture to spread evenly onto 2 lined dehydrator trays, about 1/8″ thick. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 4 hours, until lightly hardened but pliable. Carefully flip onto mesh dehydrator trays (underside of flatbread will still be soft and sticky). At this stage, sample the flatbread for saltiness. If desired, sprinkle sea salt over top of flatbread. Dehydrate for 12 hours longer until crispy.
<3, JMK
