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Sharp Cheddar Nut Cheese
VegNews, Miyoko Schinner---sent in by Betsy & Gunter
A rich-tasting hard cheese that can be sliced or melted. This recipe takes some time: the rejuvelac takes 2 days to make, and then the cheese needs 1 to 3 days of aging to develop the sharp flavor. Betsy assures us that it's worth it! That tempting loaf of bread in the photo is a rye that includes leftover sprouts from making the cheese: Rye Sprouts Bread
470 ml 2 c. raw cashews, soaked in water 3 hours and drained
180 ml3/4 c. nutritional yeast
320 ml1 & 1/3 c. rejuvelac (recipe follows)
79 ml1/3 c. canola oil
44 ml3 T. medium brown miso
6 ml1 & 1/4 tsp. salt
39 ml8 tsp. agar agar powder
Rejuvelac:
240 ml1 c. whole grains (rye, wheat berries, brown rice, whole oat groats, or other grains)
1890 ml8 c. water, divided
Soak the grains in 2 c. water for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and repeat. Allow to soak until grains sprout, than drain thoroughly.
Pour sprouted grains and remaining 4 c. water into a wide-mouth quart-sized jar. Cover loosely with a towel and let sit 2 days until a white liquid forms. Strain grains, reserving white liquid, which is the rejuvelac. It is ready to use when it has a tart lemon taste. Makes 4 cups.
In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine cashews, nutritional yeast, 1/3 c. rejuvelac, canola oil, miso, and salt and process until smooth and thick.
Transfer mixture to a large glass bowl, cover and let rest at room temperature for 24-72 hours. Taste occasionally until it has developed desired level of sharpness.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together remaining 1 c. rejuvelac and agar. Cover saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat for about 3 minutes until agar is dissolved and mixture is thick and bubbling. Reduce heat to low and add cheese mixture, whisking until smooth, then remove from heat.
Pour cheese into a large bowl and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Place in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours until hard. Remove from bowl. Store in refrigerator wrapped in wax or parchment paper for up to 4 weeks. For longer storage, store in freezer in a sealed plastic bag.
Betsy made the rejuvelac with rye berries and then Gunter added the sprouted berries to his rye bread. She reports that both cheese and bread were "very tasty!"