Melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary so as not to brown.

Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper to pot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.

Fish out the thyme sprig and bay leaves, then purée the soup with a hand-held immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the soup in batches; see note.) Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If soup is too thin, simmer until thickened. If it’s too thick, add water or stock to thin it out.

Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

In a very small bowl, whisk together the corn starch with a few tablespoons of the almond milk until there are no lumps. Set aside.

Make your sauce. In a small saucepan, heat olive oil, leeks, mushrooms, garlic, salt & pepper. Cook until soft, 5-8 minutes.

Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Stir once or twice and let the wine cook down for about 1 minute.

Add the almond milk, and some more salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Slowly pour in the corn starch mixture, stirring as you pour. Add the pecorino cheese. Let simmer, stirring often, until the milk reduces a bit. About 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile start cooking your pasta.

When your pasta has about 1 minute left, heat a large skillet, add a bit of olive oil. Add your greens, scallions, sun-dried tomatoes, and a pinch of salt. Cook until just barely wilted. Add a big squeeze of lemon. Add the pasta and the sauce to the pan and toss to mix it all together. Add some pasta water as needed to create desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove from heat and add another squeeze of lemon, pine nuts, lemon zest, and fresh basil.