Readers’ Recipe Swap: raw

As I’ve discovered this week, making raw dishes isn’t just as simple as stepping away from the frying pan. Not only is it a bit of a minefield trying to work out what’s raw and what’s not (apologies in advance, if I’ve let some heat treatment slip through the net for the stricter among you), but creating something with a satisfying balance of texture and memorably moreish flavour can be quite a challenge. However, I’m pleased to say that, as usual, our readers have stepped up to the plate; I’ve eaten everything from punchy desserts to filling mains, and have come out the other side with a newfound respect for my food processor.

Rheanna Lucy Akua Griffin’s simple, seasonal chia seed jam is definitely something that I’d revisit, and useful if you’re trying to cut down on refined sugar. Another sweet offering came from TheWholeIngredient, in the form of a dairy and wheat-free lemon and blueberry cheesecake.. The The subtle combination of fruit with cardamom and mint was truly lovely. And Lizbeer’s chocolate mousse, meanwhile, includes a sweet, perfumed pear to add intrigue to raw cacao.

The super salad from Suzanne Anderegg was a riot of textures; the ingredient list is long, but its feel-good power is mighty. Timing is everything with raw dishes, and ElleZumbido’s sunflower seed and sundried tomato spread is no exception. Although a few hours of soaking is required, it takes less than one minute to make – a perfect lunchbox snack that will keep for a few days in the fridge.

But this week’s raw star is simple to prepare, satisfying, and just a little bit showy. Maryam Sinaiee’s tomato and fennel salad with fragrant pistachio, thyme and mint pesto is an effortless ray of sunshine for the final days of summer.

The winning recipe: Tomato and fennel salad with pistachio pesto

The peppery tang of summer savory, mint and pistachio pesto really complements sweet tomatoes. Summer savory (and its perennial relative, winter savory) are hard to find in the UK unless you grow it, so use fresh thyme if you can’t find it.

Maryam Sinaiee, via GuardianWitness

Serves 4
25g shelled pistachio nuts, chopped, plus extra to serve
1 small garlic clove, chopped
A handful of fresh summer savory or thyme
A generous pinch of mint leaves
100ml cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper
500g tomatoes, sliced
1 small head of fennel, thinly sliced
1∫ tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 Put the nuts, garlic and the herbs with 75ml of the olive oil in the food processor and process until chopped well but not too smooth. Season with salt and black pepper.

2 Spread half the pesto on a platter, then arrange the tomatoes and fennel over the top.

3 Mix the rest of the pesto with the rest of the oil and the lemon juice and season. Drizzle this over the salad and scatter with some more chopped pistachios.

Raw super salad with Thai dressing

This week’s theme was a good excuse to snoop around my local Chinese supermarket to choose some of the ingredients for this raw salad. I was nervous about using kelp but I am now a complete convert to what turns out to be a pasta-like noodle.

Suzanne Anderegg, via GuardianWitness

Serves 6
50g dried shredded kelp
¼ medium mooli (white radish), or 6 standard radishes, finely sliced
¼ head of Chinese leaf, shredded
¼ head purple cabbage, shredded
2 spring onions, finely sliced
2 carrots, grated
1 courgette, grated
125g cashews
150g frozen shelled edamamebeans, defrosted
½ green papaya, sliced
2 tbsp pickled ginger
150g pea shoots
100g mixed leaves such as rocket
A good handful of beansprouts (optional)

For the Thai dressing
Juice and zest of 1 large orange
2 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp sesame oil
½ garlic clove, grated
2 tsp honey
1 tsp soy sauce
50ml rice vinegar
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Juice of ½ lime

1 Soak the dried kelp in a bowlful of water for about 20 minutes to soften.

2 Meanwhile, slice, grate and shred the rest of the ingredients and arrange in a serving dish. Drain and rinse the kelp well and add to the dish.

3 Make the dressing by putting all the ingredients in a small bowl and mixing until blended. Pour on top of the salad and carefully fold everything together before serving.

Blueberry lemon cheesecake

A delicious, fruity and smooth cheesecake that’s also delicate and light. Quick and simple to make, this no-bake healthy vegan cheesecake is sure to impress. Free of refined sugar and oil.

TheWholeIngredient, via GuardianWitness

Serves 4
For the base
50g rolled oats
8 dates, pitted
25g sultanas
10g sunflower seeds
1 tbsp maple syrup
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
A pinch of Himalayan pink salt

For the filling
75g cashews, presoaked in water for 1 hour+
100g blueberries, plus extra to serve
1 tsp maple syrup
Juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
Seeds of 2 cardamom pods
Fresh mint leaves (optional)

1 First make the base. Put all the base ingredients in a food processor, then pulse on a low speed until it all clumps together, but retains a little texture. Line a 10cm tart tin with foil, then scoop out the base mixture and press the mixture down evenly into the tin. Put in the freezer.

2 Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the cashews to a smooth paste. Next, add 50g blueberries and the remaining filling ingredients to the processor and blitz until combined.

3 To assemble, scatter the remaining 50g of blueberries over the base and then pour on the filling. Smooth over with the back of a spoon, ensuring it goes right up to the edges of the tin.

4 Decorate with more blueberries and a sprig of mint. Freeze for at least an hour before serving.

Cherry and chia seed jam

You can use any seasonal fruit you like in this recipe, but at the moment I’m using cherries straight from my garden.

Rheanna Lucy Akua Griffin, via GuardianWitness

Makes 1 pot
450g pitted cherries or other seasonal berries
2 tbsp agave nectar or raw honey
Juice of ½ a lemon
75g chia seeds
1 tbsp ground flax seeds

1 Blend the cherries, agave nectar and lemon juice in a food processor, then tip into a bowl and add the chia and flax seeds, stirring until combined.

2 Chill for an hour, then serve; the mix should be a little runny as the chia seeds swell.

Raw chocolate mousse

A near-instant treat.

Lizbeer, via GuardianWitness

Serves 1-2
1 banana, peeled and chopped
1 pear, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp raw cacao

1 Put all the ingredients in a food processor. Whizz until smooth and creamy.

Sundried tomato and sunflower seed spread

This spread has many uses: on toast or crackers, as a sauce for vegetables or pasta, as a base for a creamy salad dressing or as a mezze. It will keep in the fridge for about two days.

ElleZumbido, via GuardianWitness

Serves 4-6
80g sunflower seeds
8 sundried tomatoes
A large handful each of dill and basil, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
1 tbsp cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to garnish
Juice and zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
Salt and black pepper, to taste

1 Soak the sunflower seeds and sundried tomatoes in a tall measuring jug overnight in 200ml cold water.

2 The next morning use a stick blender or food processor to blend all the other ingredients to a smooth paste, adding extra water if necessary. Season to taste.

3 Put in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and a liberal sprinkling of chopped basil and dill to serve.