We've finally kicked the last of the flu and tummy bugs out of the house. But we drank copious amounts of soup in the process. I love soup; an easy, comforting, one-pot meal that gives new life to leftovers. When we're feeling under the weather I like to give the soup a little extra kick with three secret ingredients, all in large quantities: garlic, ginger and lemon!
One of the easiest soups I made recently consisted of leftover wild rice, some sauteed garlic and onion, chicken broth and a whole bag of frozen spinach. Sprinkled with a little Parmesan it was so soothing and delicious, and all those good greens felt so nourishing.
But to banish the flu, the ginger and lemon is really the ticket. And surprisingly, the flavors work well with a lot of broth-based, root vegetable soups. Carrots, potatoes and onions love a little garlicky kick and the heat from the ginger is a nice, round, warming flavor. I love the extra layer of flavor some lemon gives it (Clay doesn't actually like the citrus, so I guess it's not for everyone...). You'll be surprised at just how much ginger you can grate into it; keep on shredding that little root into the pot, stirring and tasting until you feel just enough heat to clear your sinuses; then it's perfect!
