New England “Clam” Chowder

INGREDIENTS

Cashew cream

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch

Everything else

• Olive oil for cooking vegetables
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick half moons
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 8 ounces white mushrooms (or additional shiitake)
• 3 ribs celery, slicked 1/4 inch thick
• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• black pepper
• 1 or 2 sheets of nori, finely chopped
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

To make the cashew cream, drain and rinse the cashews and add them to a blender along with the vegetable broth and cornstarch. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Preheat a large pot over medium heat and add oil. Sauté the onion and carrots in the oil with a pinch of salt until soft.

Add both kinds of mushrooms and celery. Cook for about 3 minutes.

Add the potatoes, remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt, pepper, nori, and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes only until potatoes are tender (you don’t want the potatoes to turn to mush.)

Stir in the cashew cream and gently heat, uncovered, for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

Add the tomato paste and lemon juice and taste for seasoning. Add a little water if it seems too thick.

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Sourced from: Moskowitz, Isa Chandra. “New England Clam Chowder.” Isa Does It.