Zucchini Cannelloni's with Marsala Mushrooms, Leeks, "Raw" cotta, & Tarragon Marinara

Here's one for you raw foodies by Julie Kalivretenos. You can find this and more recipes on her website juliesrawambition.com

Vegetables and herbs such as leeks, shallots and tarragon are staples in French cooking – and flavors I absolutely adore.  They also happen to be some of the most under-utilized in American cuisine until recent.  Singularly or combined, each of these ingredients adds sheer flavor heaven, and particularly work like magic with mushrooms.  Leeks are incredibly nutritious and while lending their mildly diuretic benefits, they’re loaded with minerals like iron and potassium.  I added leeks and tarragon to this otherwise Italian-inspired cannelloni dish, launching the marsala wine-marinated creminis and porcinis into taste bud bliss!

Mushroom mixture:

1 lb criminis sliced in half
1/4 oz dried porcinis, soaked and softened in 1 cup warm water and 1/2 cup marsala wine
1 small leek finely sliced, white and light green part only
1 tbs dried tarragon
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup marsala wine
1/3 cup nama shoyu*
1/2 tsp finely ground green peppercorns
1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper

Put all ingredients, except for porcinis and liquids, into a large bowl. Whisk together olive oil, marsala, and nama shoyu and pour over mushrooms. Toss well and marinate for 2 hours, occasionally turning to coat. Meanwhile, coarsely chop porcinis and set aside. Spread mushrooms on to a lined dehydrator sheet and dehydrate for 3 hours at 115 degrees, or until texture is slightly chewy and resembles a sauteed mushroom. Toss mushrooms occasionally while dehydrating.

Take 3/4 of the mushrooms and all the porcinis into the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Reserve remaining mushrooms for plating.

* For gluten-free preparation, omit nama shoyu and substitute with 1-2 teaspoons sea salt.

“Raw”cotta:

1/2 cup soaked, moist cashews
1/2 cup soaked, moist pine nuts
1/4 cup soaked, moist hemp nuts (optional, I had to finish off a package)
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 garlic clove

Blend all ingredients in a food processor to a ricotta or thick cheese-spread consistency.

Tarragon marinara (I made this two days ahead):

2 lbs fresh roma tomatoes, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
4 fat smashed garlic cloves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 heaping tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
handful fresh chopped basil
2 tbs fine quality aged balsamic vinegar
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil to coat
1 tbs dried tarragon

Combine all ingredients, except for tarragon, in a large bowl and marinate for about an hour. Spread tomatoes on to lined dehydrator trays face up, spooning herb mixture over them. Stuff the garlic cloves into a few of the tomato halves. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 8 to 10 hours (depending on tomato size). They should appear roasted, but still somewhat plump. You don’t want to totally dehydrate them to the sun-dried type.

Put tomatoes in a food processor along with the tarragon and blend to a marinara. It’s now ready to eat, or you can put it in a bowl a few hours before serving and keep warm in dehydrator. (This will also reduce excess moisture).

Cannelloni:

2 medium zucchini (you may have extra left over)
flax seed oil (makes it nice and buttery)
sea salt
finely ground green peppercorns
a hand-held mandolin

Slice zucchini lengthwise very thin, about 1/8″. Layer slices in a casserole dish, rubbing them with flax seed oil and sprinkling sea salt and pepper very lightly between each layer. Allow to sit for about an hour and careful drain water out of dish. Spread on dehydrator screens and dehydrate for 1-2 hours at 115 degrees so that excess moisture is gone and cannelloni have a chewier, more pasta-like texture.

For assembly:

On a work surface, lay 4 zucchini in similar lengths next to each other, slightly overlapping.  Beginning 1/2″ from one edge of the width (not lengthwise), spoon about 2 tablespoons each of rawcotta and mushroom mixture down the width of layered zucchini.  From this end, carefully pick up exposed edges and roll into cannelloni tubes.  The zucchini are very pliable and stay together quite well.  At this point you can keep the cannelloni's heated in the dehydrator until ready to serve.

Spoon over tarragon marinara, garnish with remaining halved mushrooms and fresh basil leaves.