by featured contributor, Chef Matteo of 4CV
I had the pleasure of attending and documenting one of Chef Matteo’s 4 Course Vegan dinner-events recently. The events have been taking place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn since 2003, tucked away in an inconspicuous loft beneath the Williamsburg Bridge.
Matteo’s food and presentation are meticulous, sophisticated, and delicious – focusing on healthy, local, organic, vegan cuisine. The candle-lit, communal tables are a great way to meet people. Typically, this weekly event sells-out, so you must make reservations if you’d like to attend. I asked Matteo to share the recipe of my favorite dish from that evening. Enjoy! – DB
French Lentil Roulade w/ Macadamia ‘Salata’ and Herb Vinaigrette (serves 6)
Macadamia ‘Salata’:
2 cups raw macadamias, soaked 12 hours
¼-½ cup rejuvelac
¼ tsp sea salt
Soak macadamias overnight for 12 hours. Drain and place in food processor fitted s-blade. Pulse to gently chop macadamias before adding ¼ cup rejuvelac. Process until macadamias are smooth. Place processed macadamias in a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and inside a colander. Put a 1 or 2 lb weight on top of macadamias and allow to ferment 12-24 hours. In a bowl, combine macadamia ‘salata’ and sea salt. Mix and refrigerate.
Lentils:
½ cup French lentils, sorted and rinsed
2 cups water
2 tbsp wheat-free tamari
pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, diced small
pinch of black pepper and sea salt
1 tbsp minced cilantro
In small sauce pan, combine lentils, water, tamari, and sea salt. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain lentils and set aside. Meanwhile, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots, salt and pepper and cook until shallots are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add cilantro and lentils. Stir to combine flavors and set aside until ready to assemble roulades.
Crepes:
¼ cup buckwheat flour
2 tbsp brown rice flour
2 tbsp tapioca flour
½ tbsp arrowroot powder
pinch of sea salt
1 cup nut milk
½ tbsp minced chives
grapeseed oil for coking crepes
Combine buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, tapioca flour, arrowroot powder and sea salt in bowl. Stir to mix. Add nut milk and whisk until smooth. Stir in the minced chives and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Over medium-low heat, lightly grease a non-stick 6” sauté pan with grapeseed oil. Pour ¼ cup batter into pan and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip crepe and cook on other side for an additional minute until cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter. Cover crepes with kitchen towel until ready to use.
Vinaigrette:
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp prepared mustard
2 tsp agave nectar
¼ tsp minced garlic
pinch of black pepper and sea salt
1 tsp minced oregano
½ tsp minced thyme
Blend extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, agave, garlic, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. Whisk in oregano and thyme.
1 oz baby mustard greens, washed and dried
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Assembly:
Lay one crepe flat on a clean surface. Evenly spread 2½ tbsp macadamia ‘salata’ on the crepe. Sprinkle 2 tbsp French lentils over the macadamia ‘salata’. Take the nearest edge of the crepe and roll it up using the macadamia ‘salata’ to seal the overlapping edges together. Trim the ends to make it uniform and neat. Slice crepe in half on bias. Set in the middle of a plate with the bias’ opposing each other. Repeat with remaining crepes.
Toss mustard greens with 2 tbsp herb vinaigrette. Evenly divide the greens amongst the plates placing them on top of the crepe. On each plate, sprinkle 1 tbsp of French lentils over the greens and drizzle with 1 tbsp herb vinaigrette. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
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Chef Matteo aims to bridge communities through organic, gourmet, vegan fare, in hopes of facilitating increased mindfulness and compassion in and of the living.
