Cashew Cream

2 cups whole raw cashews (not pieces) rinsed very well under cold water

1.     Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

2.     Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place them in a blender with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. (If you’re not using a professional high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix, strain the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sieve.)

3.     To make thick cashew cream,  simply reduce the amount of water when they are placed in the blender, so that the water just slightly covers the cashews.

Makes about 2 1/4 cups thick cream or 3 1/2 cups regular cream
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus soaking overnight.