Equipment
Ingredients
Cashew Cream
- 150 g raw cashews, unroasted and unsalted
- 120 ml water
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- salt
Soup Base
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 fennel bulb, chopped, fronds reserved
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 250 g yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
- 500 g broccoli, stems chopped, florets separated
- 900 ml vegetable broth, low sodium
- 15 g nutritional yeast
- black pepper, freshly ground
- salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place raw cashews in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water, and let soak for 15 to 20 minutes to soften.
Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add the diced onion, chopped fennel, and sliced celery to the pot. Sauté until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook until highly fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
Pour in the vegetable broth, add the diced potato and chopped broccoli stems, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil at 100C or 212F.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the broccoli florets to the pot, cover, and simmer for an additional 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are completely tender.
Drain the soaked cashews and transfer them to a high-speed blender along with 120ml of fresh water, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
Transfer the cashew cream to a small bowl and quickly rinse out the blender jar.
Transfer the hot soup mixture to the blender in batches, adding the nutritional yeast if using. Blend until velvety smooth, ensuring the blender lid is vented to allow steam to escape.
Return the blended soup to the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Reheat gently if necessary at 70C or 158F.
Ladle the warm soup into bowls, swirl in generous spoonfuls of the cashew cream, and garnish with reserved fennel fronds.
Chef's Notes
- Do not overcook the broccoli florets. Adding them later in the simmering process preserves their vibrant green color and prevents the soup from developing a muddy appearance or sulfuric taste.
- The natural starches in the Yukon gold potato are crucial for emulsifying the soup and preventing the water and vegetable solids from separating after blending.
- For an impeccably smooth cashew cream without a high-speed blender, soak the raw cashews overnight in the refrigerator rather than relying on a quick hot water soak.
- Reserve a few tiny steamed broccoli florets along with the fresh fennel fronds to garnish the soup, adding textural contrast to an otherwise entirely pureed dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store the soup and cashew cream in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 3 months — The soup base freezes beautifully. Cashew cream may separate slightly upon thawing but can be re-blended.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through, avoiding a rolling boil to maintain color.
