I am obsessed with cashew cream. Having been dairy-deprived for so long, the ability to have creamy sauces with that rich mouth feel makes me so fucking happy I could danse. So, I saw this lovely spinach polenta tart on Tastespotting or Foodgawker, and really wanted to try it. Then, when we went provisioning and Sprouts had this gorgeous rainbow chard, I knew it was a done deal.
This is recipe isn’t hard, but it does have a couple steps. I made it on a Monday night, but it totally lends itself to doing part one night (the polenta and the onions for example), and then finishing it the next.
Bon appetit – and by the way, just the chard was fantastic on its own. I could have eaten the whole damn pan. By myself.
A couple stages, but sooooo tasty.
- ½ c. polenta
- 2 c. stock
- 1 tsp. butter
- ½ tsp. TJ’s 21 Seasoning Salute
- 1/3 c. cashews, soaked overnight or simmered for 15 minutes
- 1 c. stock
- ½ tsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp. corn starch
- 8 oz sliced white mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 bunch swiss chard, cleaned and coarsely chopped
- 1 medium white onion, cut in to rings
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/3 c. Amontillado dry sherry
- 1/3 c. raw pignon nuts.
- Cook polenta according to package directions.
- Grease a 10” quiche pan or pie pan or springform pan and spread the cooked polenta evenly. (I did this the night before.)
- Preheat your oven to 375*
- In a medium nonstick skillet, sweat the onions, until they are translucent and just beginning to turn golden and caramelize.
- Remove the lid and add the sherry and let the liquid cook off.
- While they are cooking, get the olive oil very hot in a large sauté pan, and sear the mushrooms for a good brown sear.
- Lower the heat to medium low and spread the mushrooms on top of the polenta base.
- To the still-hot skillet, add the stems of the chard, a layer of salt and pepper, then the leafy bits with another layer of S&P. Cover tightly.
- While the chard is cooking, make the cashew cream sauce.
- In a good blender or food processor, add the drained soaked cashews, the stock, yeast, corn starch, and a couple of the rings of cooked onion.
- Purify for (seriously) 1 ½ to 2 minutes, until the mixture is silky in texture and no longer grainy.
- Check the chard – it should be tender and deep green. Raise the heat to medium, stir in the cashew cream and cook for a minute or two until the sauce is thickened. It should look like creamed spinach. Spread this on the mushrooms.
- Turn off the onion pans, and spread the onions on top.
- Sprinkle with the pignon nuts.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until the chard is bubbly and the nuts are browned.
- Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Or, make the night before and then slice while cold and reheat or serve at room temperature.
- Serve with a nice big salad.
- Serves 4 for dinner, or 6 as a starter course.
