Yes, Plant Food is a cookbook (or un-cookbook, since all the recipes are raw) but, truth be told, we’d pour over this book if not a single recipe was printed inside. In true Matthew Kenney Cuisine form, Plant Food is a creative exploration of food in a way we’d never imagined and the images are simply gorgeous. Each recipe is a work of culinary art, set apart from other high-concept cookbooks filled with foams and terrines by its unique use of raw food-only methods, techniques and platings. Thanks to Matthew’s innovative team of chefs, raw food has to be one of the coolest frontiers in modern food.
Meredith Baird, top raw chef and Creative Director of Matthew Kenney Cuisine, shared this recipe for a gorgeous and uniquely blended salad with us and has this to say about their new book…
There are many projects that I have worked on over the years that I am really proud of, but Plant Food
is probably top of the list. I was lucky enough to work with both Matthew Kenney and the uber-talented Scott Winegard on this book, both incredible raw food chefs. Scott has been with Matthew Kenney Cuisine for several years now and has truly taken the food to the next level of innovation. He is a real culinary artist. Not only is the food artfully presented, but the flavors are elegant and refined.
Released just this spring, Plant Food is a completely unique expression of vegetables. The presentation is highly sophisticated, but the recipes are delicious and accessible. The recipe below is one of my favorites – and helps feed my radicchio obsession. (And the dehydrated-olive trick is super amazing!) I have no doubt that you will enjoy!
A note from Chef Matthew Kenney: Radicchio has evolved from one of the most overused products to being under appreciated. In the ‘90s, every restaurant seemed to have a tricolor salad, which was pretty simple and not exciting. Yet, when radicchio’s richness is paired with a healthy fat, or a couple of them, it creates a symphony. Add the punch of these dynamic black olives and you have dish that just sparkles.
Radicchio, Avocado, Citrus, Nori, Hemp and Olive Salad
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
For the salad:
2 small radicchio
1 avocado
2 white grapefruit, cut into segments
1 cup raw nori, cut into strips
For the hemp-oil powder:
1⁄2 cup tapioca maltodextrin
1 Tbsp hemp oil
For the citrus vinaigrette:
1⁄2 cup lemon juice
1⁄2 cup olive oil
pinch of sea salt
For the black olive crumbs:
1⁄2 cup black olives
Directions
For the salad:
Cut radicchio vertically into 8 pieces, letting the core hold the leaves together. Peel the avocado and dice.
For the hemp-oil powder:
Place tapioca in a food processor. Add oil while pulsing the powder in the food processor. You may have to add more powder if it is too wet. Gradually add more powder, starting with a tablespoon. Pass through a strainer to enhance the fluffiness.
For the citrus vinaigrette:
Blend lemon juice, oil and salt together until emulsified.
For the black olive crumbs:
Place olives on dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 115 degrees for 24 hours, or until crispy.
To assemble:
This salad is fun to serve “family style.” Toss radicchio and avocado in a large bowl with about half of the dressing, using more if needed. Spoon a few tablespoons of the hemp-oil powder over the salad and add the grapefruit segments and olive crumbs. Top with the nori and serve.
