Kim Kushner’s Gingery Healing Broth With Mushrooms, Carrots, Leeks & Kale
Gingery healing broth Image by Kim Kushner
This is more than just an amazingly fragrant soup: it’s an all-in-one pot meal. Chicken, veggies, and noodles in a light, gingery-garlic golden broth really nourishes in more than one way. I know that traditionally chicken matzo ball soup is meant to be the go-to when you’re feeling under the weather, but I opt to go for this instead—the fresh ginger gives me the kick that I need to get back into shape.
Makes 6-8 Servings
1 tablespoon neutral oil (canola, avocado, or rice bran)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon grated fresh garlic
2 cups (460 g) thinly sliced mushrooms (you may use a variety, including portobello, oyster, white button, baby bella, shiitake)
4 leeks, trimmed and sliced crosswise into thin rounds, then rinsed and patted dry
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups (2 L) vegetable or chicken stock (if you don’t have stock handy, you may also use water)
⅓ cup ( 75 ml) soy sauce
2 cups (360 g) shredded cooked chicken (you may use leftover roast chicken or grilled chicken, white or dark meat or a combination)
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
Half of a 7-oz (220-g) package udon noodles
1 handful of Washed & Stored Kale (page 22), torn into small pieces
Drizzle of toasted sesame oil (optional)
Fresh red chile, stemmed and very thinly sliced (also optional— if you, like me, love the heat)
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, vegetable, and mushrooms. Use a wooden spoon to keep the ingredients moving in the hot oil. Sauté for 3 minutes, then add the leeks. Cover and cook until the leeks have softened, 4 minutes longer. Taste and season generously with salt and black pepper.
Add the stock and soy sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. Once the soup is rapidly boiling, reduce the heat level to medium and add the chicken, carrots, and udon. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
Remove the broth from the heat and stir in the kale. Season once more with salt and pepper. Before serving, I suggest drizzling each individual serving with a tiny (1/8 of a teaspoon) drizzle of sesame oil and topping with a few chile slices (if using).
Make-ahead tip: Gingery healing broth can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Gingery healing broth can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours and reheat on the stove.
Recipe from Kim Kushner’s “I Heart Kosher” cookbook.
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