No dairy used here!

• 1/3 cup White Bean Flour :::    I grind my own
• n1/4 tsp Garlic salt (Premium) ::: I would use a few cloves of garlic and probably No Salt or a Half Salt.
• 1/2 tsp Basil (Imported) ::: or Fresh from my Garden
• 2 Tb Vegetable Soup Base ::: I have some home made in the freezer..
• 1 cup Finely Chopped Celery ::: or Celeriac
• 3 cups Boiling Water
• 1/2 cup Onion, chopped
• 4 cups Fresh Broccoli, chopped ::: fresh or frozen

Directions

I will make this as soon as I get some more garlic…

Serves 4

26 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) organic butter (grass fed)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 cup fresh ginger
2 1/4 cups sliced onions
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
26 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
4 lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 350F. Place 26 garlic cloves in small glass baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and toss to coat. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake until garlic is golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic between fingertips to release cloves. Transfer cloves to small bowl.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, thyme, ginger and cayenne powder and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add roasted garlic and 26 raw garlic cloves and cook 3 minutes. Add vegetable broth; cover and simmer until garlic is very tender, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan; add coconut milk and bring to simmer. Season with sea salt and pepper for flavour.

Squeeze juice of 1 lemon wedge into each bowl and serve.

Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

If garlic were found to be a wonder drug, consumers could simply buy it in the supermarket for 30p a bulb or grow their own in the garden.

Nevertheless, garlic has a long and proud tradition as a medicine. The Ancient Egyptians recommended it for 22 ailments. In a papyrus dated 1500BC, the labourers who built the pyramids ate it to increase their stamina and keep them healthy.

The Ancient Greeks advocated garlic for everything from curing infections, and lung and blood disorders to healing insect bites and even treating leprosy.

The Romans fed it to soldiers and sailors to improve their endurance. Dioscorides, the personal physician to Emperor Nero, wrote a five-volume treatise extolling its virtues.

One of the most interesting of the recent findings is that garlic increases the overall antioxidant levels of the body. Scientifically known as Allium sativa, garlic has been famous throughout history for its ability to fight off viruses and bacteria. Louis Pasteur noted in 1858 that bacteria died when they were doused with garlic. From the Middle Ages on, garlic has been used to treat wounds, being ground or sliced and applied directly to wounds to inhibit the spread of infection. The Russians refer to garlic as Russian penicillin.

More recently, researchers have unearthed evidence to show garlic may help us to stay hale and hearty in a number of ways.

Last June, nutrition scientists at the University of Florida found eating garlic can boost the number of T-cells in the bloodstream. These play a vital role in strengthening our immune systems and fighting viruses.

And pharmacologists at the University of California found that allicin — the active ingredient in garlic that contributes to bad breath — is an infection-killer.

Allicin also makes our blood vessels dilate, improving blood flow and helping to tackle cardiovascular problems such as high cholesterol.

An Australian study of 80 patients published last week in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that diets high in garlic may reduce high blood pressure.

In 2007, dentists in Brazil found that gargling with garlic water (made by steeping crushed garlic cloves in warm, but not boiling, water) can kill the germs that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

But they hit a snag: the volunteers refused to continue the experiment, complaining that the garlic gargle made them feel sick. Looking at the garlic soup recipe certainly made me feel queasy. Still, it gave me an excuse to use up my ample supply of garlic.

Though last year’s awful weather caused crop failures on my allotment, I enjoyed a bumper harvest of garlic.

Among its many other virtues, garlic kills slugs and snails. Researchers from the University of Newcastle believe it contains oils that may cripple the nervous systems of these slimy creatures.

There are two schools of thought as to the best way of preparing garlic to make the most of its medicinal qualities.

Argentinian investigators found it releases its allicin-type compounds when you bake the cloves, while scientists at South Carolina Medical University believe peeling garlic and letting it sit uncovered for 15 minutes produces the highest levels of compounds to fight infection.

So you can simply peel half of the garlic cloves and roast the other half with the kitchen door tightly closed (to stop the pong permeating throughout the house).

After an hour-and-a-quarter’s industrious soup-making, sprinkle lemon juice over a bowl of steaming, grey gloop and tuck in.

The heady aroma certainly revs up the appetite and the first spoonful does not disappoint. Delicious as it is, however, one large bowl of home-made soup is a more than ample meal.

As for the soup’s cold-preventing powers, only time will tell. Regular bowlfuls may very well keep me free of winter ailments, thanks to the virus-killing compounds they contain.

Or it could just be that my nuclear-strength garlic breath will keep everyone who is infectious far out of sneezing range for months to come.

Source:

preventdisease.com

A recent and significant finding from Washington State University shows that garlic is 100 times more effective than two popular antibiotics at fighting disease causing bacteria commonly responsible for food borne illness.

When the garlic is crushed, alliin becomes allicin. Research shows that allicin helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure and also helps prevents blood clots. Garlic can also reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Compounds in this familiar bulb kill many organisms, including bacteria and viruses that cause earaches, flu and colds. Research indicates that garlic is also effective against digestive ailments and diarrhea. What’s more, further studies suggest that this common and familiar herb may help prevent the onset of cancers.

‘This chemical has been known for a long time for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal powers,’ says Helen Bond, a Derbyshire-based consultant dietitian and spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association.

‘Because of this, people assume it is going to boost their immune systems. Lots of people are simply mashing up garlic, mixing it with olive oil and spreading it on bread.

‘But how or whether it may actually work has still not been proven categorically.’

Indeed, scientists remain divided on garlic’s ability to combat colds and flu. Last March, a major investigation by the respected global research organisation, the Cochrane Database, found that increasing your garlic intake during winter can cut the duration of cold symptoms — from five-and-a-half days to four-and-a-half.

But the report, which amalgamated all previous scientific studies on garlic, said it could not draw solid conclusions because there is a lack of large-scale, authoritative research.

The problem is that pharmaceutical companies are not interested in running huge, expensive trials — as they would with promising new drug compounds — because there is nothing in garlic that they can patent, package and sell at a profit.

1 qt low sodium chicken broth

2 Cups water

2 Tbsp Tomato Paste

1  chopped onion..

2-6 cloves of chopped garlic depending on your taste..

1 cup carrots or parsnips chopped small..

1 can (14 oz) Cannellini beans..

1/2 cups chopped celery or Celeriac..

1  can 28 oz diced tomatoes..

1 Bay leaf..

1/2 tsp dried Thyme..

1/2 dried Basil..

1 LB Hot or mild sausage  cut up and casings removed or use bulk sausage..

2 Cups cut up Kale, Swiss Chard, or Spinach..

2 cups Cooked  Orecchiette, Orzo ,  Rice,  Quinoa, etc.. Pick one or combine two..

In a slow cooker combine chicken broth, water, tomato paste, onion, garlic, celery, cannellini beans, salt, tomatoes, Bay leaf, thyme, and basil.

In a nonstick skillet saute sausage breaking it into small pieces until browned, about 5 min. Drain on a paper towel lined paper plate. Then add to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 4 hours. Stir in Kale, Swiss Chard, or Spinach, and whatever pasta rice, or Quinoa you have chosen..  makes about 12 cups…

You mat add whatever other spices you desire and or more  chopped vegetables. Summer squash, zucchini, pumpkin, other squash,  cut green beans, or a can of chic peas  to taste..  You may need more water or broth if you add more vegetables.. Also cook the pasta, rice, or Quinoa in a vegetable or chicken broth.. I make broth ahead and store it in the freezer until I need it…

Serve this with bread dipped in spiced Olive Oil, or your favorite crackers…

For the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
additional cheesy yum:

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. You may even want to consider cooking the noodles separately, and then adding some to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This would be an especially smart move if you are anticipating any leftovers. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

If you want a pasta free recipe you could slices if summer squash and/or zucchini and a couple of tablespoons of Cannellini Bean flour or a can of cooked Cannellini beans(do not drain)..

It may not be much of a looker, but celeriac is one of the most versatile of all winter veg. In fact, it’s my favorite root of all time.

I’m shining the spotlight on another vegetable that is perhaps even more unprepossessing, with knobbly, knotted looks that only a mother could love – or a cook who has unearthed its inner beauty. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that celeriac might just be my favourite root of all time. It’s nothing less than a winter wonder.

For starters, the versatility of this vegetable is incredible. Look at this week’s recipes: a crunchy, vibrant raw salad, a tummy-warming gratin and – wait for it – an unforgettable ice-cream! And I didn’t have room for a soup, a mash, a slaw or a curry… Not even the potato has such range. Next among celeriac’s under-appreciated star qualities is its fine texture – delicately crisp but still yielding when raw, tender as butter when boiled or baked, wonderfully velvety but never gluey when mashed or pureed.

But what it all comes down to most is the flavour. Celeriac is closely related to celery, a vegetable that’s vital for giving body and depth to everything from stocks and soups to salads. Both contain compounds known as phthalides (great Scrabble word) that have been shown to have an almost magical ability to enhance the flavours of other ingredients, as well as terpenes, which contribute citrussy, resinous notes. But where celery’s flavour is assertive, celeriac’s is mellow. Celery has a slightly harsh edge, but celeriac is more complex and sophisticated: nutty and earthy, yet highly aromatic. Among its many notes, it even has a touch of the oyster about it – and that’s pretty sexy. Sexy, but comforting. Whether used alone or in combination with other ingredients, celeriac is a warm, voluptuous, creamy hug of a vegetable.

A celeriac root (actually, technically it’s a corm, or swollen, semi-buried stem) is rounded and relatively smooth at the top end, but the base is a tangle of searching, knotted tendrils that hold on to lots of earth. When preparing it, don’t muck about with a peeler, but just set to with a large, sharp knife and cut away all the rooty bits and the skin. You’ll create a fair bit of debris – allow for losing 10-20% of its original weight by the time it’s prepared – but it’s by far the easiest way. Clean your trimmings and the peel – and the stalks and leaves, if they were still attached – because they will all add wonderful flavour to any stock. The white flesh will brown quickly when exposed to air, so add it almost straight away to water, cream, milk or a dressing.

I think the great appeal of this root lies in its curiously eager-to-please character. It’s mild enough to serve raw, yet has enough gentle pungency to hold its own in a show-stopper dish next to strong-flavoured ingredients. Celeriac is beefy enough for beef, for instance – or venison or game, for that matter – but it’s also delicate enough for chicken. In fact, a buttery, well-seasoned puree of the root is a wonderful accompaniment to any of these meats.

This vegetable loves to be in the company of other winter roots such as carrots and parsnips. It pairs especially beautifully with potato and I often combine these two in a mash or soup. You can go 50/50, but even a small amount of celeriac will intriguingly transform your mash. I cook the celeriac in milk, then blitz it and mash the resulting milky puree into the cooked spuds with a good knob of butter. Celeriac gratins – either all-celeriac or a combination of roots – are a staple in my house when the weather is cold, and I like to experiment with adding different flavours, spiking them with chilli, garlic, herbs, even lemon zest.

Don’t forget celeriac with fish, either, which can be a particularly felicitous combination. A fillet of bream or bass, fried until crisp-skinned and served with a little bacon and a creamy celeriac puree, or the mixed mash described above, is quite divine. As is a luxurious, velvet-smooth leek and celeriac soup with a poached oyster or two sitting on top. Alternatively, simply roast some cubes of celeriac with a few other roots, lots of bay leaves, thyme and garlic, then place a whole or filleted fish on top and return to the oven to complete cooking.

But some of my favourite ways to eat celeriac are completely vegetarian dishes, particularly salads. Raw and julienned (cut into fine matchsticks), it is a masterful ingredient on a platter. I often mingle it with puy lentils, flat-leaf parsley and juice-soaked raisins. It’s fantastic with fennel (their seasons overlap in October and November), as well as with fruits such as apple and orange, which can make a winter savoury salad so wonderfully aromatic and refreshing.

And then, of course, there’s the deservedly classic celeriac remoulade – thin little strips of the raw root folded into a rich, mustardy mayonnaise. Give me a dollop of that with a few cold slices of my Christmas ham and a hunk of bread, and I’m a very, very happy man indeed.

Celeriac, chicory and orange salad with toasted cashews

I love raw celeriac in a salad. Its flavour, both earthy and sweet, balances piquant, sharp or bitter ingredients beautifully. Serves four.

75g cashew nuts
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp English mustard
2 tsp cider vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
250g celeriac
1 head chicory
1 large orange

Put the nuts in a dry frying pan, toss over a medium heat for a few minutes until lightly toasted, then set aside to cool.

Combine the olive oil, mustard and vinegar with some salt and pepper, and tip into a mixing bowl. Peel the celeriac and cut it into matchsticks. Toss the julienned root immediately in the dressing to stop it from browning. Trim the chicory and separate the leaves, then add to the celeriac in the bowl. Spread the dressed celeriac and chicory on a plate.

Cut a slice off the base of the orange and stand it on a board. Use a sharp knife to cut through the peel and pith of the orange, slicing it away completely, in sections. Working over the plate of celeriac so any juice that escapes will fall on to it, cut out the individual orange segments, letting them drop on to the salad as you go. Squeeze any juice out of the remaining orange membrane over the salad. Add some more salt and pepper to taste, scatter over the cashews and serve.

Celeriac ice-cream with walnut praline

This might sound a bit wacky, but it works. Serves eight.

For the ice-cream
300g celeriac, peeled and cubed
500ml whole milk
8 large egg yolks
150g caster sugar
300ml double cream

For the praline
150g granulated sugar
75g walnut halves, roughly broken up
½ tsp flaky sea salt

Put the celeriac and milk in a large pan, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring from time to time, for 20-30 minutes, until the celeriac is tender. Using either a stick blender or a jug blender, puree the celeriac with the milk until very smooth. Measure out 300ml of the puree for the ice-cream; any leftover puree will work very well in a soup.

Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Pour the hot celeriac puree over the egg mixture, whisking as you go, then pour this mixture into a clean saucepan. Place over a moderate heat and cook, stirring continuously, until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Pour the mixture into a bowl, stir in the cream and put a piece of cling-film over the surface to stop a skin forming. Set aside to cool, then chill. When completely cold, churn in an ice-cream machine (you’ll need one with a 1.5-litre capacity for this amount of custard) until soft-set, then freeze until solid. Transfer to the fridge for 30 minutes or so before serving, to soften a little.

To make the praline, lightly oil a baking sheet (or line it with baking parchment or a nonstick baking mat). Put the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan with a light-coloured interior to make it easier to see the colour of the caramel.

Put the pan over a low heat and, stirring with a rubber spatula from time to time, wait until the sugar melts. Stop stirring now and let the sugar cook until it has turned a dark amber colour.

As soon as it reaches the right shade, remove from the heat, stir in the walnuts with a fork and immediately pour on to the prepared sheet. Sprinkle the salt over the top and leave to set. When set, chop or break into small pieces. Store in an airtight container until needed.

To serve, divide the ice-cream between eight small dishes or glasses and add a liberal scattering of walnut praline.

Potato, pear and celeriac gratin

The very talented Sophie Wright made a lovely version of this in my new Channel 4 show, Hugh’s Three Good Things. The addition of pears enhances the celeriac’s sweet, aromatic quality. Serve with something hearty, such as slow-cooked shoulder of lamb or pork. Serves six as aside dish.

1 knob butter
About 400g floury potatoes
About 400g celeriac
2 firm, medium pears (about 300g)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
400ml double cream
100ml whole milk
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
1 bay leaf
1 good grating nutmeg

Heat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3. Rub a gratin dish with the butter.

Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly, either with a sharp knife or a mandoline. Cut the outer layer off the celeriac and slice this thinly, too. Peel, quarter and core the pears, and slice each quarter thinly lengthwise. Combine the vegetables and pear in a bowl, season and toss. Arrange the mixture in the gratin dish, pressing it as flat as possible so there are not too many gaps and air pockets.

Put the cream and milk in a saucepan with the garlic halves, the bay leaf, the nutmeg and plenty of salt and pepper, and heat until just below boiling. Pour over the veg in the dish (take the bay leaf out at this stage, but keep the garlic in).

Bake for an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half. The gratin is ready when the top is golden and bubbling, and a small, sharp knife easily pierces the vegetables all the way through. You may want to turn up the heat to 190-200C (gas mark 5 or 6) for five minutes at the end for a bit of extra bubbling crispness. Leave to rest and cool for five minutes or so before serving.

• River Cottage cookery courses and dining events are available as Christmas gifts – go to rivercottage.net for details.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s celeriac, chicory and orange salad with toasted cashews: Earthy and sweet. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the Guardian.