Miso Kale Soup or My Cold Remedy Soup

   
  I have a cold- drippy nose, scratchy throat, achey head, miserable cough kind of cold. It used to be a rare thing for me to get any kind of common illness, (I seem to hold out for the big ones- like cancer) but since two rounds of chemo has left me with a couch potato of an immune system, I'm not surprised that a few germs were able to slip through the door and wreck viral havoc on my house. 
   Tired and cranky, I am putting everything I can into getting better quickly, starting with this soup. This is my most powerful cold remedy. It is full of antimicrobial immune enhancing garlic, making it a good one to keep in mind as the winter months approach. I just hope associating it with a cold remedy does not put you off, because its robust flavor is delicious.
   The  construction of this soup is so simple that I put it together any time I feel the need for an immune boost, or just want a strong hit of garlic to excite my palate. Be warned, the garlic lingers. I usually reserve this soup for days when I will be spending a lot of time alone.

 
   This soup is finished in a blender. You can make it as chunky or smooth as you like, but I make it on the smooth side so that I can curl my hands around a warm mug of it, and sip it while sitting on the couch.

Here is the recipe:
Serves 4 4c. water
4-5 fat cloves of garlic
1 large bunch of kale roughly chopped
1/2tsp. salt (or to taste)
3 scallions roughly chopped
3T. + 1tsp. white miso paste (or to taste)
2T. + 1tsp. olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
black pepper
flax oil to garnish (optional)

   Bring the 4 c. of water to a boil with the 1/2 tsp. of salt in a medium saucepan. Drop the peeled garlic into the boiling water and let blanch for 1-2 minutes. One minute will leave a bite, two will leave it more mellow. I like it somewhere in between.  Remove it with a slotted spoon. Keep the water boiling.
   Next plunge the kale into the boiling water. You will need to push it down with the spoon until it is all submerged and wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and throw in the scallions. Give it a stir and let it cool for a few minutes. The kale will continue to cook during this time. 
   Next put the garlic and the remaining ingredients into the pan (oil, miso, pepper,red pepper) and transfer/ dump it all into your blender. Blend until it is the desired consistency.
Taste it and adjust if needed. Top it off with a bit of flax seed oil for added health benefits. Serve. 
  

whole wheat orecchiette

Optional:
Serve it over some whole wheat pasta
or add a soft poached egg (breaking the egg to enrich the broth)
Note: 
Reheat gently over medium low heat. You should never boil miso. Boiling destroys the beneficial bacteria.