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If you do one step in advance, this soup is quick, simple, and an amazing taste sensation. You can trade off the cashew cream for dairy sourced cream, but the outcome of the soup may not be quite as succulent. Plus, this way, you can make it for your vegan friends!

Please note: You must start by soaking the cashews in filtered water (covered) in the fridge for over 12 hours. This will make two cups of cashew cream, enough to double the recipe, if you wish, or you can save the balance and use it in some other way, since it is great added into all sorts of other things. (It blends much better in a two cup amount, which is why I don’t recommend only making one cup’s worth.)

Recipe for Zucchini Leek Soup with Cashew Cream

2 cups raw cashews (will make 2 cups of cashew cream; need only 1 cup for the soup)
4 leeks
1 large onion
3 Tablespoons of butter or ghee
2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 Tablespoons fresh tarragon, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
black pepper
3 cups vegetable stock

Soak the cashews in filtered water, covered, in the refrigerator for over 12 hours. Then rinse and drain the cashews. Place in Vitamix or strong blender and cover (1″ above) with fresh filtered water. Blend until smooth, 2 or 3 minutes.

In a large pot over medium heat the butter/ghee, and add the onion and leeks, allowing them to cook until transparent, about 10 minutes.

Add the zucchini, salt, and garlic, and cook another 10 minutes.

Add the fresh tarragon, ground fennel seeds, and black pepper, then allow to cook a couple more minutes.

Add the stock, together with 1 cup of the cashew cream, saving the rest for something else, and stir until hot.

Transfer to the blender, and puree until smooth.

Enjoy!

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