A recipe from the kitchen of Tami Tzori of CityTree.
Tami makes cheeses and dairy-like foods without dairy. She calls this one cheese-without-bothering-any-cow. This version was adapted for us with local-seasonal cooking in mind.
The method begins by making almond milk. The almond solids left after straining become the body of the cheese, enriched with crushed sunflower seeds, lemon juice, and herbs.
Photo: Assaf Ronen. Styling: Naama Ran.
Ingredients:
- Local almonds
- Sunflower seeds; local ones may be available but need shelling, or use shelled non-local sunflower seeds
- Lemon juice
- Herbs and seasonings to taste: garlic or onion, dill or scallions, garlic chives, oregano, or red pepper
- Olive oil, for covering the finished cheese
Add herbs and seasonings gently so they do not color the cheese too much; the aim is to keep it pale and cheese-like.
Instructions:
- Soak the almonds in water overnight.
- The next day, peel the almonds. It helps to soak them in boiling water for 15 seconds, then immediately transfer them to cold water so they do not cook.
- Blend the peeled almonds with a little water.
- Strain through cloth. You will get almond milk and almond pulp, which becomes the body of the cheese.
- Mix crushed sunflower seeds into the almond pulp, adding as much as tastes right to you.
- Add the seasonings you chose.
- Add lemon juice.
- Transfer to a jar and cover with a thin layer of olive oil.
- Cover the jar with cloth, secure it with a rubber band, and place it in a shaded spot.
- Taste after 24 hours.
- You can let it continue fermenting, or ripening, according to your taste.
Safety note: Because this is a room-temperature fermented nut and seed preparation, use very clean equipment, keep the jar covered with breathable cloth, and discard it if you notice mold, a rotten smell, or any unpleasant sliminess. Once it tastes right to you, refrigerate it.
