Bagels With Tomato Lox and Cashew Cream Cheese

A bagel with lox and cream cheese is a breakfast ubiquitous to New York. As it turns out, boiled and peeled tomatoes make the absolute perfect fish-free lox ever. The color, the consistency, it’s all so right. Liquid smoke, tamari, and kelp powder give it the traditional lox flavor that goes perfectly with the tangy cashew cream cheese. Serve both on a toasted bagel with toppings of your choice.

BAGELS WITH TOMATO LOX AND CASHEW CREAM CHEESE [VEGAN]

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BAGELS WITH TOMATO LOX:

• 6 bagels
• 6 large Roma tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons tamari or liquid aminos
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 teaspoon kelp powder
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• Cashew cream cheese (recipe below)
• Toppings of choice (we used chives, capers, radishes, and red onion)

FOR THE CASHEW CREAM CHEESE:

• 2 cups raw cashews
• 4 tablespoons plain soy yogurt
• A pinch of sea salt

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE BAGELS WITH LOX:

1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Pierce the skin of the Roma tomatoes with a small slice and drop them into the water for 30 seconds to a minute until the skin begins to peel off. Remove the tomatoes from heat and place them in a large bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking further.
2. Combine the tamari, olive oil, liquid smoke, water, and kelp powder in a small bowl. Whisk until even. Peel the skins from the tomatoes. Cut them in half then carefully trim away the seeds from the firm inside layer. Place the tomato pieces in a bowl and drizzle with the tamari marinade.
3. Mix with your hands to ensure the tomato lox is evenly coated with the marinate. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Toast your bagels, then spread with a generous layer of cashew cream cheese(recipe below). Finish with layers of tomato lox and your toppings of choice.
5. Tomato lox will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

TO MAKE THE CASHEW CREAM CHEESE:

1. Soak your cashews for 8 hours or overnight. You can also boil them for 10 minutes if you are short on time.
2. Combine the soaked cashews with the soy yogurt and sea salt in a food processor or high-speed blender. Process for 5 minutes or until very smooth, stopping often to scrape down the sides.
3. Transfer the cashew mixture to a clean glass container. The container must not contain any soap residue or this will affect the fermentation process. Rinse the inside of the container with a bit of vinegar to make sure it’s perfectly clean, then dry. Cover the container and leave sitting at room temperature for 12-48 hours.
4. Use a clean utensil to taste the cashew cream cheese every 12 hours or so. As soon as it gets tangy like cream cheese, place it in the refrigerator.
5. The cashew cream cheese will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to four months. Makes 2 cups.

NOTES

Any non-dairy yogurt may be used in place of soy. Unsweetened yogurt is recommended.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/bagels-with-tomato-lox-and-cashew-cream-cheese/