Boosting your immunity before and during the upcoming change of season and the spreading of viruses.
With the changing of the seasons from dry and warm to humid and wet it is important to keep your immune system strong using also old food remedies!
You can make this broth in big quantities, and drink it throughout the day like you would drink green tea or herb teas.
Many of the Allium family vegetables and herbs used in this stock will help to balance the immune system ,and is a natural way to fight infections, virus and toxins.
Mushrooms, seaweeds and ginger are also great for your immune system.
Also this broth will be a lifesaver when you feel your blood sugar level is a bit low. Instead of a slice of bread or a cookie, sip a mug of this soup.
Ingredient for about 8 cups
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large onion chopped in 4
3 or 4 scallion or spring onions ( white and green part sliced)
1 leeks white and green part sliced
1 carrot chopped
1 head of garlic
1 celery stalk sliced
3cm piece of Kombu seaweed
1 tablespoon of cider vinegar , or 1 tablespoon of the water of kimchi, or white vinegar
2cm piece of fresh ginger
2 bay leaves
few peppercorn
some leaves and stalks of parsley
a sprig of fresh rosemary
few leaves of sage
9 cups of water
salt to your taste
If you want to amplify the potency of this medicinal stock add 5 dried or fresh shitake mushrooms or reishi!
Put the oil in a heavy bottomed pot, add the onions, leeks, scallions, shallots and carrot. You can also cook the skin of the onions.
Saute`until the vegetables are softened and the onions translucent, if necessary add a little bit of water.
Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, skimming if the top has some vegetable foam!
Once it is boiling, reduce the heat and let it gently bubbling for one hour , the stock is reduced and concentrated by about 30 percent . Taste and if too strong add some water to your taste.Strain the stock, add salt ( don’t add salt if you use miso!) and drink a couple of cups a day.
Or to save gas, use the pressure cooker!
Keep for 5 days in the fridge.
You can also double the quantity and freeze some for emergencies!
One more suggestion: if you want to make it more tasty and with a macrobiotic twist, add a spoon of miso to your bowl!
I don’t like to waste anything so I use the broth and I use all the leftover ingredients to make a creamy vegetable soup with some grated parmesan , some olive oil, a sprinkle of crushed chili and a good chunk of bread!
This is a classic sample of using food as medicine.
