Bourride Sétoise Végane à l'Aïoli de Cajou
85 min · 12 steps
Hard: over 60 min or 12+ steps
About this dish
Nori-crusted tofu, torn oyster mushrooms and artichoke hearts simmer in a fennel-and-saffron broth built the way Sète has always built it — with aïoli whisked directly into the hot liquid until the whole pot turns silky and rich. Cashews stand in for egg yolk here, blended into a glossy, garlic-forward emulsion that carries the same unctuous body as the original, right down to the golden sheen.
Allergy Info
Gluten, Soya, Celery, Sulphites, Mustard, Tree Nuts
Diet Info
Vegetarian, Vegan
Ingredients
Fresh Produce
- Garlic clovespeeled and roughly chopped4 cloves
- Fennel bulbfronds reserved, bulb thinly sliced1 large
- Leekswhite and pale green parts only, sliced into 2 cm rounds2 medium
- Onionfinely diced1 medium
- Garlic clovesthinly sliced4 cloves
- Carrotspeeled and cut into 2 cm rounds2 medium
- Celery stalkscut into 2 cm pieces2 stalk(s)
- Orange zestunwaxed strip, about 5 cm1 sheets
- Fresh thyme3 sprig(s)
- Waxy potatoespeeled and cut into 2 cm chunks600 g
- Oyster mushroomstorn into large pieces200 g
Plant Proteins
- Firm tofupressed and cut into 4 cm slabs300 g
Tins & Jars
- Vegetable stockgood quality, hot1 litres
- Artichoke heartsjarred in water, drained, halved200 g
Dried Goods
- Raw cashewssoaked150 g
- Cold waterplus more as needed60 ml
- Water400 ml
- Nori sheetcrumbled to a fine powder1 sheets
- Sourdough breadthick slices, toasted8 sheets
Spices & Seasonings
- Fine sea salt0.5 tsp
- Fennel seedslightly crushed1 tsp
- Saffron threads0.5 tsp
- Bay leaf1 whole
- Fine sea salt1 tsp
- White pepper0.5 tsp
Oils & Condiments
- Extra-virgin olive oil80 ml
- Lemon juicefreshly squeezed2 tbsp
- Dijon mustard1 tsp
- Extra-virgin olive oilfor the broth3 tbsp
- Dry white wine200 ml
- White miso paste1 tbsp
- Lemon juice1 tsp
Utensils
- High-speed blender
- Large Dutch oven
- Whisk
Method
Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews thoroughly. Transfer to a high-speed blender with the garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and cold water. Blend on high for 2 minutes until completely smooth, then stream in the olive oil with the motor running until the mixture is thick, glossy, and emulsified. Taste for seasoning, transfer to a bowl, and refrigerate until needed.
Rub the tofu slabs on all sides with the crumbled nori powder, pressing gently so it adheres. Set aside.
In a large, wide pot or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the fennel, onion, and leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until soft and beginning to caramelise at the edges.
Add the sliced garlic, fennel seeds, and saffron and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Pour in the white wine and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot, for 3–4 minutes until the wine is reduced by two-thirds and the sharp alcohol smell has mellowed.
Add the hot vegetable stock, water, carrots, celery, orange zest, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and white pepper. Bring to a vigorous simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes until the carrots are just tender.
Add the potato chunks to the simmering broth and cook for 12–15 minutes until a knife passes through them without resistance.
Add the oyster mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and nori-rubbed tofu slabs to the broth. Cook gently for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the tofu is heated through.
Dissolve the white miso paste in a ladleful of hot broth in a small bowl, then stir it back into the pot along with the lemon juice. Remove and discard the bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and orange zest strip. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
Ladle approximately 300 ml of the hot broth into a medium bowl. Whisk half of the cashew aïoli — about 120 g — into this broth in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened. Pour this enriched liquid back into the pot and stir gently to combine; do not allow the broth to boil again or the emulsion will break.
Spread a generous spoonful of the remaining cashew aïoli onto each slice of toasted sourdough. Ladle the bourride into deep warmed bowls, distributing the vegetables and tofu evenly. Place two aïoli-topped toasts on the rim of each bowl, scatter over the fennel fronds, add a small drizzle of olive oil, and finish with a pinch of flaky salt. Serve immediately with extra aïoli alongside.