CAULIFLOWER MORNAY SAUCE

MAKES ABOUT 2 QUARTS

Mornay is a creamy French white sauce. Our plant-powered version gets its sexy texture from cooked and pureed cauliflower and cashews. Use this basic white sauce to add velvety richness to everything from steamed broccoli to pasta dishes, pizza, potatoes, and Spicy Maitake Steak Sandwiches (here).

1½ cups raw cashews

1 head cauliflower, cut into large florets

4 to 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons white miso

1 tablespoon sea salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

3 cups unsweetened soy or almond milk

Soak the cashews in water to cover for 1 hour. Drain and rinse.

Transfer the rinsed cashews to a large saucepot. Add the raw cauliflower pieces, garlic, and bay leaf. Cover with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer gently until the cauliflower is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and rinse, then remove and discard the bay leaf.

Transfer the solids to a blender (preferably high-speed). If you have a 2-quart blender, you can blend all the solids at once. For a 1-quart blender, do it in two batches. Add the miso, salt, and pepper and begin blending on low speed. Slowly add the soy milk, then increase the speed and blend until completely smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for a few days. If it’s too thick when reheated, add a little soy milk to thin it out.