Basic (Vegan) Cream Sauce

Pay Special Attention to steps 1 and 2--this is the key to blending a sauce with an authentic look and feel. Many cooks fail here--they don't the mixture long enough. The result is a somewhat gritty and grainy texture. Bland nuts with a small amount of water--enough to submerge them. A thicker mixture results and will become smooth more quickly. Then add the rest of the water in the recipe. This is why, in many of our recipes, some ater is added while blending and them more is added later.

1 cup raw cashew nuts
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon chicken-like seasoning (or 1 tablespoon food yeast flakes and 1/2 teaspoon more salt)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
2 tablespoons cornstarch, flour or clear jel
1 1/2" cups more water (to be added after blending)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for about 2 minutes until smooth.

When mixture is so smooth that no graininess is felt in a drop of it between your thumb and finger, pour into a sauce pan. Add the 1 1/2 cups more water to the blender and swich is around and add to the mixture in the pan. Bring to a boik stirring constantly as i thickens to keep it from lumping. As soon as it thickens, remove from heat.

If a thicker sauce is need return to heat and slowly sitr in more starch that has been dissolved in cold water, letting it come to a gentle boil as it thickens.

Makes 4 cups
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The above recipe was used with the addition of portabella mushrooms to create a condensed soup like vegan substitute to be added in a casserole.