Dairy-Free Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) brown mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 1/2 cups (120 grams) leek (white and light green part) (washed and chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary (chopped)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup (100 grams) raw, unsalted cashews
• OR
• 1/2 cup (75 grams) potato (peeled and chopped)
• 4 cups (2 pints) vegetable stock

Instructions

1. 1

   To a large saucepan, add the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add all the mushrooms, sauté until softened and a little browned. Remove ⅓ of the mushrooms and set aside to add to soup later (optional step if you want a completely smooth soup).

2. 2

   Add the leek to the mushrooms. Continue to cook, stirring until leeks are soft. Adjust the temperature so the leeks don't brown too much Add the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring so the garlic doesn’t brown. Add the cashews (or potato) and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes (partially covered with a lid) until the cashews or the potatoes are softened.

3. 3

   If you have an immersion blender, use this to blend the soup in the pan. If not, transfer ¼ of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth, if it's too thick, add a little broth or water to get the consistency you like. Transfer to a bowl and continue with the rest of the soup.

4. 4

   Put all the soup back into the soup pan, add the mushrooms that were set aside. Reheat and test for seasoning, add salt if needed. Serve.