Golden Tonic Elixir with Turmeric Mushrooms and Black Garlic
For years, I was in the habit of making broth with the carcass left over from our weekly roast chicken. Last winter, my daughter requested a vegetarian version, so we transitioned to making it with mushrooms and included black garlic for earthy smokiness, and ginger and onion for their immunity-boosting properties. It is the perfect healing broth for sipping. I brighten with a squeeze of fresh lime just before serving.
Makes about 8 cups (roughly 2 L)
Ingredients:
1 pound (455 g) mixed fresh mushrooms, any variety (oyster, maitake, and shiitake all work well here)
6 quarts (5.6 L) water
2 large heads garlic, halved horizontally, unpeeled
2 to 3 black garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife, unpeeled
1-inch (3 cm) nub fresh ginger, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, halved, unpeeled
2-inch (5 cm) nub fresh turmeric, finely grated with a Microplane, or 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 celery stalk with leaves (optional)
1 tablespoon Himalayan pink salt, plus more to taste
1½ teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed with the side of a knife
1½ teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed with the side of a knife
½ dried red chile, such as chile de árbol, crushed
Method:
Clean and trim the mushrooms. If using oysters or maitakes, shred them into pieces. If using shiitakes, trim and leave the stems on.
In an 8- to 12-quart (7.6 to 11.3 L) stockpot, combine all the ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and continue to boil for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat and cook at a bare simmer for 2 hours. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 3 hours, until completely cool.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids (discard, or compost, the solids).
Transfer the broth to glass jars for storage. If freezing, leave ¾ inch (2 cm) of free space at the top of the jar for expansion. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Add more salt to taste and a squeeze of lime juice before serving.
This recipe was excerpted from Cooking With Mushrooms: A Fungi Lover's Guide to the World's Most Versatile, Flavorful, Health-Boosting Ingredients by Andrea Gentl. Artisan Books © 2022.
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