Black Cherry Tomato Poppers

Name: Black Cherry Tomato Poppers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 cup cashew cheese ((fresh, organic, raw; see below for recipe)); 24 black cherry tomatoes ((medium to large, organic, ripe)); 8 basil leaves ((large, fresh, organic)); 1 cherry bomb pepper ((red, organic)); 1 meyer lemon ((large, ripe, organic)); 1 cucumber ((medium, organic; wash well, do not peel, remove ends)); 2 cups cashews ((raw, organic, buy whole cashews to ensure the best quality of nut thus best quality of cheese)); 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar ((raw, organic)); 1 lemon ((small, ripe, organic, reserve juice then save peel for another recipe)); 1/3 cup water; 3 layers cheese cloth (about 8 inches long -large rubber band); twist tie; chop sticks; container ((deep, to hang the cheese ball))

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Joelle Amiot in Appetizers, Raw Food Recipes

Serves

Level

Easy

Ingredients

Ingreds.

Total

45min

Serves

Level

Easy

Ingredients

Ingreds.

Total

45min

Eating cherry tomatoes may offer particular benefits for men. Lycopene, a compound found in tomatoes, can impact prostate health. Any recipe that has the word “poppers” in it means you are going to have a flavor explosion! Well these BLACK CHERRY TOMATO POPPERS are just that!

Ingredients

Black Cherry Tomato Poppers

1 cup cashew cheese (fresh, organic, raw; see below for recipe)
24 black cherry tomatoes (medium to large, organic, ripe)
8 basil leaves (large, fresh, organic)
1 cherry bomb pepper (red, organic)
1 meyer lemon (large, ripe, organic)
1 cucumber (medium, organic; wash well, do not peel, remove ends)

Organic Raw Cashew Cheese

2 cups cashews (raw, organic, buy whole cashews to ensure the best quality of nut thus best quality of cheese)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (raw, organic)
1 lemon (small, ripe, organic, reserve juice then save peel for another recipe)
1/3 cup water
3 layers cheese cloth about 8 inches long -large rubber band
twist tie
chop sticks
container (deep, to hang the cheese ball)

Servings:

Units:

Directions

Prep

15 min

Total

45 min

For Black Cherry Tomato Poppers

Place the cashew cheese in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes then wash and de-stem the tomatoes. Lay them on their side and cut the top 1/3 off, reserve the tops for another recipe.
Use a melon baller and gently remove the meat and seeds from the inside, be sure not to puncture the outer skin.
Rinse well and drain, set aside, these are your tomato cups.
Fine chop the basil and pepper and set aside.
Zest the lemon and set aside then Juice the lemon and set aside.
Use a vegetable peeler and make long ribbons out of the cucumber. Only do the skin and flesh down to the seeds. Reserve the seed center for another recipe.
On your serving platter, arrange the ribbons into a bed to set your bombs onto. I like to curl them around my index finger to give them an interesting look.
Remove the cheese from the refrigerator and spoon it into the tomato cups level with the top, be sure to fill but not over pack then reserve the remaining cheese for another recipe.
Use a damp paper towel and wipe the outside and rim to clean, set on a flat surface filled center up.
Evenly sprinkle the filled cups with the chopped pepper and chopped basil and lastly the lemon zest.
Arrange on the bed of cucumber ribbons on your serving platter, nestle them in to stand them up.
Put 2 drops of the lemon juice on each and evenly sprinkle the remaining lemon juice over the exposed cucumber ribbons. Be sure to tell your guests that the cucumber ribbons are edible too. Serve and enjoy!

Organic Raw Cashew Cheese

In a large bowl, break your cashews into quarters then soak your cashew pieces in clean water for 16 hours then drain the cashews and rinse well.
In a blender blend on high the cashews, vinegar and lemon juice. Add the water 1 TBSP at a time, to ensure smoothness of the cheese. Be sure to blend to a creamy paste.
Open up and then layer your cheese cloth together on top of each other.
Spoon in the cheese into the center. Gather the sides of your cheese cloth up to make a pouch over the cheese and twist tie the top that is gathered tightly to the cheese but do not squeeze.
Place the chop sticks on either side of the gather at the twist tie and rubber band it together so you can hang it.
Find a container to suspend the cheese ball from to allow it to drain. It needs to be at least 2 inches deeper that the cheese ball.
Suspend it using the chop sticks as its support across the opening of your container and hang for 48 hours, drain the container if needed.
Gently unwrap your cheese and place in a sealable container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Calories: Fat: Carbs: Protein:

Note: To do this ahead, simply cut all of the produce and refrigerate in separate containers. When you are ready to serve it, simple stuff the tomato cups, garnish and plate.