Stuffed Mushrooms with Boursin Style Cream Cheese

Stuffed Dehydrated Mushrooms with Raw Boursin Style Cream Cheese; Photo: Deb Durrant

This creamy garlic and herb-infused spread, is a tribute to the classic French cheese that graces many appetizers and dishes with its distinctive taste. I wondered if I could ever give up dairy as I used to love it so.  But with this non-dairy cashew-based cream cheese, I don’t feel like I’m missing out at all.

I’ve used it here to stuff mushrooms but it has a whole world of culinary possibilities. This cream cheese spread can elevate the simplest of raw ingredients to a gourmet level, adding depth and richness to a variety of dishes.

Try cutting ribbons of courgette for a perfect canvas for the creamy spread.  For a quick and easy raw snack, spread the cheese over a linseed cracker, then top with a homemade olive tapenade. This combination creates a tartine—or open-faced sandwich—that's rich in flavours and ideal for a light lunch or snack.

Use the ‘Boursin’ as one of the layers in a raw lasgane. Alternate with courgette sheets, marinated mushrooms, and a rich raw tomato sauce for a hearty main dish that's completely raw yet surprisingly complex.

Create a stunning visual display with a platter of raw vegetable sticks and florets arranged around a bowl of cream cheese. Guests can dip and enjoy the freshness of the vegetables with the rich, creamy spread.

Once the cream cheese is made, this keeps in the refrigerator for about 3 days. 

STUFFED MUSHROOMS WITH BOURSIN STYLE CREAM CHEESE  

INGREDIENTS
Serves 3-4 as a snack

GARLIC AND HERB BOURSIN STYLE CHEESE

105 g cashew nuts, soaked for at least 2 hours
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt – or more to taste
1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ tablespoon minced shallot/ red onion

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

MARINATED MUSHROOMS

12 mini forestiere mushrooms, mini open cup or mini portabella mushrooms

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Pinch fine sea salt

 METHOD

 To make the garlic and herb cheese

Soak the cashew nuts in water for at least two hours or overnight. Rinse well in water to remove any of the soak liquid. In a small high-speed blender, such as a Blendtec twister jar or Vitamix, blend the soaked cashews with the water and lemon juice. Add the nutritional yeast and sea salt and blend again. Transfer to a small bowl. By hand mix in as much garlic as you would like. Add the chopped shallot/onion. Chop the herbs and run this through the cheese mixture. Ensure it is well distributed. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag if you have one and refrigerate until needed. Or cover the bowl with cling film and chill the cream cheese in the refrigerator.   

 To make the marinated mushrooms

Remove the stalks for the mushrooms. Add the olive oil and a pinch of salt to a bowl and toss in the mushroom caps. Spread on a teflex sheet and dehydrate at 145F for 45 minutes. If you don’t have a dehydrator, simply leave them to marinate for a couple of hours.  Remove the mushrooms from the dehydrator and blot off any excess oil.

Pipe the garlic and herb cheese into the mushroom caps.