Immune Booster Soup

Dozens of methods and ingredients can produce a delicious bowl of soup.  In my world, garlic and onion are non-negotiables but, beyond that, almost anything goes.  Veggie only? Meat-heavy? Noodles? Rice? YES.   Blended? Brothy? Chunky? YES.  Multi-pot, multi-step process? One big dump in one big pot? YES.  I like 'em all...I make 'em all! 

But the key to a hearty, extra-health-boosting soup is a broth chock full of grown goodness.  Combine a variety of the freshest plants you can find: roots, tubers, herbs, fungi, pods, bulbs, etc.  If you're a meat eater (as I am) the combination of a plant based broth with a long-simmered bone broth creates an even healthier base for an immune-boosting soup.

Sometimes I plan the ingredients, sometimes I use what I have on hand.  Sometimes, I freeze the random parts of vegetables that I'm not using in another dish for later use in a broth (potato skins, ends of carrots, celery tops, leafy green remains, beet greens, etc. etc. etc.)  

Today's Broth

• Smoked ham hocks
• Smoked pork neck bones
• 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 bunch parsley
• 2 twigs rosemary
• 2 sprigs tarragon
• 2-3 sprigs dill
• 2 medium onions, quartered
• 1-2 T. turmeric
• 1 T. ground black pepper
• 3-4" piece ginger, sliced
• 4 Sancha Matcha tea bags
• "Discarded" veggie parts (potato skins, celery tops, collard green ends, carrot ends, etc...) 
  
• Water to cover everything

Boil for 2+ hours.  Remove chicken meat and reserve for soup. Drain broth and discard all remaining vegetable parts and bones.  Boil broth until reduced by about 1/3.

To the reduced broth, add the following:

Sautéed Caramelized Veggies

• Coconut oil 
• 50 cloves garlic, whole
• 2 medium onions, diced

Fresh Chopped Veggies

• 4 carrots, sliced
• 6 stalks celery, diced
• 1 XL sweet potato, diced
• 1 russet potato, diced
• 2-3 c. green beans
• 2 c. mushrooms, sliced

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30-60 minutes before serving.