On a quest to discover oil free dressings I recalled the wonders of cashew cream. I made it often for my vegetarian client in North Carolina and here I am a year later making it into a salad dressing for me.
1/2 cup raw cashews
3/4 cup water
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup italian parsley leaves
3 Tb. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt, to taste
Combine the cashews and water in a medium bowl and allow to sit for an hour. Transfer to the food processor or blender with the water and the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth, adding more water to get the desired consistency. Taste for seasoning. Serve with green salads, grilled or steamed vegetables, gluten free pasta, steamed rice or anything you like.
When you blend the cashews and water, this is cashew cream. To that, you can add just about anything to create caesar salad dressing, tahini dressing, pesto etc.
