Crunchy walnuts, hearty lentils and lots of spice go into a spicy vegan chorizo that's stuffed into roasted zucchini halves and topped with rich cashew cream.
Course:
Entree
Cuisine:
American, Latin American
Servings: 4
Author: Alissa
For the Zucchini
-
2
large zucchini
-
about 1 tsp. olive oil
For the Lentil Walnut Chorizo
-
1
tbsp.
olive oil
-
½
medium red onion
diced
-
1
red bell pepper
diced
-
2
garlic cloves
minced
-
2
cups
cooked brown lentils
-
1
cup
chopped walnuts
-
1
tbsp.
smoked paprika
-
2
tsp.
ground cumin
-
1
tsp.
ancho chili powder
-
1
tsp.
dried thyme
-
½
tsp.
ground cinnamon
-
½
tsp.
cayenne chili powder
or to taste
-
½
tsp.
black pepper
-
¼
tsp.
ground cloves
-
3
tbsp.
red wine vinegar
-
salt to taste
-
¼
cup
finely chopped fresh cilantro
For the Cashew Cream
-
½
cup
raw cashews
soaked in water overnight, drained and rinsed
-
½
cup
water
-
¼
cup
lemon juice
-
salt to taste
Make the Zucchini
-
Preheat oven to 400°. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and use a spoon to hollow out the insides. Rub all surfaces lightly with olive oil and arrange on baking sheet. Bake until tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes.
Make the Lentil Walnut Chorizo
-
While zucchini bakes, coat a large skillet with oil and place over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
-
Add lentils, walnuts and spices. Continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes. Add red wine vinegar and continue to sauté until most of the moisture has cooked off, about 1-2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
-
Season with salt to taste and stir in cilantro.
Make the Cashew Cream
-
Place all ingredients into food processor and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
Serve
-
Stuff zucchini with chorizo mixture and top with cashew cream.