Sauerkraut brine is another one of the starter cultures that can be used in plant-based cheese making. When you make this cheese from homemade sauerkraut, you can be sure it will be full of health-building probiotic cultures that naturally age the cheese. The brine also contains nutrients like sulforaphane, pulled from the cabbage as it ferments. If you make this cheese with store-bought sauerkraut brine, make sure to choose sauerkraut that has not been pasteurized; it should come from the refrigerator section of your health food or grocery store and should say “unpasteurized” or “live cultures” on the label. Using sauerkraut brine as a starter imparts a delicious, naturally aged, sharp, and rich flavor to the cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw, unsalted cashews
- 0.66 cup filtered water
- 0.33 cup sauerkraut brine
- 3 teaspoons unrefined sea salt, divided
- ½ cup coconut oil
How to Make It
- In a glass or ceramic bowl with a lid, combine the cashews, water, and brine, and stir well. Cover and let sit for twenty-four hours.
- Pour the cultured cashews and their liquid into a blender. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt as well as the oil, and blend until smooth. You may need to push the ingredients down with a spatula a few times to ensure a creamy, smooth consistency.
- Pour the cheese mixture into a cheesecloth-lined bowl that is the shape you’d like the finished cheese to be. Refrigerate for four to six hours, or until it is firm. Remove from the bowl, and peel away the cheesecloth.
- Gently rub the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt over the full surface of the cheese, including the bottom. Carefully place it on a wire rack in a cool, dark, and undisturbed place, and allow the cheese to air-dry for two weeks. After you have aged the cheese, refrigerate and serve, or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one month.