Ingredients :
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 cup cooked red lentils (about ½ cup raw red lentils)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of candied garlic (baked)
• 1 clove of fresh garlic
• ½ cup raw unsalted cashews
• 1 half lemon (juice)
• 1 pinch of ground cayenne
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: fresh mint for garnish
Instructions :
1. Preparation of cashew nuts:
Soak ½ cup raw cashews in room temperature water for about 2 hours. They should become slightly tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Cooking the sweet potato and candied garlic:
• Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
• Cut the sweet potato in half lengthwise. Brush both halves with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
• Place the sweet potato cut side down on a baking sheet to encourage caramelization.
• Add two whole, unpeeled garlic cloves next to the sweet potato, drizzled with olive oil.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the sweet potato.
3. Cooking red lentils:
While the oven is cooking, cook the red lentils. If using raw lentils, measure out about ½ cup of dried red lentils, rinse them well, then cook them in boiling salted water for about 10-12 minutes, or until very tender. Drain and set aside. Make sure you have 1 cup of cooked red lentils.
4. Assembly in the blender:
• Once the sweet potato is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. Then, remove the skin to keep only the flesh.
• Peel the candied garlic cloves.
• In a blender, add the sweet potato flesh, cooked red lentils, candied garlic cloves, ½ cup soaked cashews, and the juice of half a lemon.
• Blend everything until you get a smooth and silky consistency.
5. Olive oil emulsion:
While blending, slowly pour in ¼ cup of olive oil to create a nice emulsion. Continue blending until the texture is creamy and smooth.
6. Final seasoning:
• Add a pinch of ground cayenne, adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix one last time to fully incorporate the spices and adjust the texture if necessary.
7. Service:
Serve the puree in a bowl, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with ground pepper, and garnished with a few fresh mint leaves if desired.
This puree is delicious with crackers, grilled vegetables, or as a base for wraps. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Enjoy your meal!
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