Herbed Cashew Quark
What actually is quark? Besides ‘super delicious’, it’s really hard to explain. I would call it a European version of cultured cream cheese, much lighter though, slightly tart, and very creamy. Traditionally, quark is made from dairy and can be prepared sweet or savory. This savory vegan version with herbs and garlic can be enjoyed on a hearty slice of bread, with potatoes, or also as a dip with some veggies. It’s incredibly easy to make, but there are two things you need besides the ingredients: a high speed blender and some patience for the fermentation process.
Remember to soak cashew for at least 4 hours!
You need:
- a high speed blender
Ingredients: (for about 1½ cups/350 ml) herbed quark)
For the quark base:
- 1 generous cup (140 g) raw, unsalted cashews, soaked in filtered water for at least 4 hours or overnight, drained
- 2/3 – 3/4 cup filtered water (start with less – you can add more as you go)
- 2 probiotic capsules (I used this brand with 50 Billion live cultures)
Add after fermentation:
- ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt
- 3 Tbsp fresh herbs like chives, parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, borage …. finely minced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish (optional):
- edible flowers (I used borage)
- more herbs
Preparation:
Place cashews and filtered water in your blender and process at highest setting until the cashew cream is steamy and has thickened (about 3- 4 minutes).
Pour/scrape the cream into a bowl and let cool down at room temperature until lukewarm.
For the following, use either a plastic or wooden spoon. Open the probiotic capsules and thoroughly blend the powder with your cashew cream. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 2 days.
Stir in salt, herbs, garlic, and pepper until well combined. Place covered into the fridge until chilled and enjoy your favorite way!
Notes:
- Herbed quark tastes wonderful on oven potatoes, steamed, boiled, or roasted potatoes, as a spread on your favorite slice of bread, a dip, a salad topping……. there are so many ways to enjoy it!
- You can easily double this recipe because 1½ cups will be gone quickly.
- You can keep quark covered in the fridge for several days.
quark on homemade whole grain spelt bread
quark on oven potatoes
