GLUTEN-FREE CARROT, CUCUMBER, NDUJA, WALNUT CRISPBREAD
The big flavours of gluten-free walnut crispbread, pickled carrots, spicy nduja and cucumbers with mustard and dill all combine to make an unusual but very delicious entrée.
And it’s versatile too. Try making the crispbread in bite size pieces and serve as finger food with drinks.
All the components can be made well ahead leaving only the assembly for the last minute.
And that’s a big bonus in our books.
Rosie
CARROT, CUCUMBER, NDUJA, WALNUT CRISPBREAD
Serves 10 as an entree
Start this recipe 48 hours ahead to pickle the carrots
For the Crispbread
200 gm walnuts
120 gm flaxseed meal
100 gm almond meal
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 150°C ff (170°C conventional). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Place walnuts, flaxseed and almond meals in a food processor and process until fine-ish. Add the eggs and process until all ingredients are combined.
In batches, roll out in between two pieces of baking paper to around 2mm thick. Cut into 14cm x 8cm rectangles.
Transfer to the prepared tray and bake for around 20 minutes checking after 15 minutes.
Cool on a rack. The crispbread will keep for up to a month if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
For the Nduja
90 gm nduja (we used Salumi Australia brand which is very hot)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)
1.5 tablespoons pickling liquid from the carrots (optional)
1.5 tablespoons crème fraiche (optional)
First taste your nduja. Different brands have different intensities of heat. The Salumi Australia brand we use is very hot and so we’ve tempered it here with the olive oil, pickling liquid and crème fraiche. Just mix it together until it has the heat you prefer. You may not need to do this or you may need to increase the other ingredients. It should have a pronounced chilli hit.
For the Carrots
500 ml apple cider vinegar
200 gm caster sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pinch salt
400 gm organic carrots, of similar diameter, peeled and thinly sliced on a mandoline
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Place the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to come to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool before pouring over the carrot slices.
Store in a non-reactive container, at room temperature for 48 hours. After 48 hours, store in the fridge.
The carrots will last in the fridge for several weeks.
When ready to serve, drain the carrots and toss in the olive oil.
For the Cucumbers
2 Lebanese cucumbers, finely chopped
Carrot pickling liquid
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chardonnay vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dill finely chopped
2-4 hours before serving, place the cucumber in a bowl and cover with some of the carrot pickling liquid. Allow to stand at room temperature until ready to serve.
Whisk the olive oil, vinegar and mustard together to emulsify. Stir in the dill.
When ready to serve, drain the cucumber, add the dill dressing and stir to combine.
To Assemble
Allow the nduja to come to room temperature before spreading ½ - 1 tablespoon (depending on chilli intensity) evenly over each crispbread.
Place the carrot slices over the nduja.
Spoon the dressed cucumber down the centre of the carrots.
TIPS:
Apart from chopping and dressing the cucumber, all the elements for this dish can be made days ahead of time.
Make the crispbreads into bite size pieces and serve the recipe as finger food with drinks.