Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

A deliciously creamy concoction—but surprise! There’s not a drop of dairy here. Instead, prepare this unbelievably satisfying soup with full-fat coconut milk and add a dash of Kanel's Butcher’s Block seasoning to enhance the mushrooms’ earthiness. Though it’s delicious year-round, we love this recipe best on a brisk winter’s afternoon.

VEGETARIAN | VEGAN | GLUTEN-FREE | DAIRY-FREE | NUT-FREE

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons vegan butter
16 oz button mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
¼ cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour if preferred)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tbsp Butcher’s Block
1 ½ cups full-fat coconut milk
Optional toppings: olive oil, apple chips, crispy fried garlic

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large soup pot, melt the vegan butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms have softened and browned. Sprinkle over the flour, stir in, and cook 1 minute more.

Pour in the vegetable broth, coconut milk and Butcher’s Block. Use your spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan and remove any bits stuck to the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, to thicken slightly.

Butcher's Pasta

Calling all pasta lovers: Kanel's found a way to make craveable, creamy pasta even dreamier. And that’s by layering their zesty Butcher’s Block. The blend contains all the rich flavours of porcini mushrooms, which mingles well with the hearty consistency of the dish.

VEGETARIAN | GLUTEN-FREE | NUT-FREE

INGREDIENTS

3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced
2 Tbsp Butcher’s block
1/4 cup heavy cream
1lb pasta or gluten free pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
2 cups fresh or frozen peas

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to boil in a large pot.

Melt the butter in a large pan. When the butter foams, add the onions and saute over medium heat until they are just beginning to brown around the edges, about 7 minutes.

Add the Porcini Umami and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Stir the cream into the pan and simmer just until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

While preparing the sauce, cook and drain the pasta. Add peas for last 2 minutes of cooking time. Toss the hot pasta with the sauce and grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

The Perfect Dry-Rubbed Steak

You may think that there’s no such thing as perfection, but that’s only because you haven’t had a steak like this yet. On the subject of “perfection,” no blend is better matched for this fatty, marbled ribeye quite like Butcher’s Block. The earthy nuttiness of the porcini and kick of heat from the black peppercorns cut the fat and balance out all that meaty flavour. Your move, steakhouse.

GLUTEN-FREE | DAIRY-FREE | NUT-FREE

INGREDIENTS

30oz. Ribeye Steak
1-2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Kanel Butcher’s Blend

INSTRUCTIONS

Lightly rub steak with olive oil then sprinkle generously with Butcher’s Blend. Massage to penetrate the flavours and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.

Remove the steak from the fridge and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (this will ensure they cook quickly and evenly).

Preheat the BBQ to high and oil grill.

Place the steak on the hot grills and cook for about 3 minutes. Flip the steak over and repeat (cooking 3 minutes, turning 45 degrees and cooking an additional 3 minutes).

Lower the heat to low, and continue indirect cooking until the internal temperature reaches 130°F for rare or 145°F for medium-rare cooking.

Place the steak on a plate and cover with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.