Raw Food Wednesday: Papaya, Fennel and Spinach Salad

Raw Food Wednesday 3/10

Papaya, Fennel and Spinach Salad

We had a big-ass papaya (that's a technical term), so we decided to treat it like we did when we made the raw sushi a couple of years ago... It totally changes the texture of the papaya, making it tender, chewy and full of awesomeness. ;)

The base was spinach and fennel (sliced thinly on the mandoline), both tossed with an orange vinaigrette, with the addition of lemon slices (to rub on top of the papaya) and minced dill.



We started by slicing the papaya on a mandoline about 3/8" thick, and then scored it with a knife in a crosshatch pattern to allow for better marinade penetration.

Kinda looks like big orange clown shoes, doesn't it?



The papaya slices were brushed with a marinade consisting of 1 tbs. each of olive oil, nama shoyu, and an unfiltered/unfined red wine (Coturri Zinfandel), with 1 tsp. of minced shallot, 1/2 tsp. of minced garlic, 1 tsp. of minced thyme and then seasoned with a pinch of herbes de provence and pepper.

Kinda looks like a pair of wacky orange ties, doesn't it?



The papaya slices were then vacuum-sealed and put in the freezer for 24 hours. The next day, they were taken out and defrosted in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, then removed from the bag and put in the dehydrator for 2 hours at 105F. Flip them about halfway through, and keep an eye on them so the edges don't start to curl up.

Kind of looks like big orange snowshoes, doesn't it?

Tags: raw food wednesday, raw food, raw, papaya, fennel, spinach, dill, orange, tomatoes, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666