Standby for a yummy pasta dish that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside! This is a quick and simple recipe that combines the meaty mushroom flavour with cashew cream, whilst the aniseed flavour of the tarragon works brilliantly and explodes in your mouth.

Ingredients

• 300 grams pasta – I used penne but pick your favourite
• 300 grams mushrooms, any variety you prefer
• A leek
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 150 grams cashews, soaked in boiling water
• 200 ml vegetable stock
• Splash of soya milk
• Handful of fresh tarragon, dried will do if that’s all you have
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Pre boil a pan of salted water
• In a hot skillet add olive oil and fry the mushrooms. They will sizzle as their water content boils off
• Whilst the mushrooms cook, quarter the leek down the length and the chop roughly. Add to the pan along with the garlic and then season to your taste, turn the heat down to simmer for five minutes
• Add your pasta to the water and cook al dente – don’t do the British thing where the pasta is distended and floppy! Drain and let stand dry, DON’T let it stand in the water
• Drain your cashews, add a good glug of soya milk and blend to a cream
• Add the cream to the skillet and mix through thoroughly, cook gently for two minutes
• Gradually add your stock, mixing as you go
• Once the sauce is mixed completely, add the pasta and make sure it is evenly mixed and coated.

The sauce when fully mixed:

The tarragon ready to mix

The finished article: