Horrifying Soup (AKA "Miracle Broth")

The promised recipe for Miracle Broth (Thank you, Rebecca Katz, Guidepost Magazine!), with minor variation.  My son called "Horrifying Soup" because he was appalled by the inclusion of Kombu. However, he loves the taste, so maybe it is a miracle, after all. Kombu, similar to Kelp, is a super vegetable from the cold depths of the sea.  This food is high in all sorts of fabulous vitamins and minerals and is easily absorbed by our bodies.  An excellent supplement to any diet, but especially Northerners, as it aids in the absorption of Vitamin D.

First of all, you need a big stock pot.  I used a 16 qt. pot for this, and it was full, making about a gallon of stock in the end. 

In the stock pot you will place the vegetables-  just scrub them well and hack them into thirds or so. Don't peel them- you want the vitamins in those peels!

• 3 large yams
• a small bag of tiny new red potatoes (don't cut- just toss in whole)
• an entire bunch celery- heart and all
• a zucchini
• 8 carrots
• 4 small onions
• 5-10 garlic cloves
• 2-3 leeks
• 1/2 bunch of flat parsley
• 2 strips kombu
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 black peppercorns
• 4 whole allspice, or juniper berries, or coriander seed

Fill the pot to 2 inches below the rim with water, cover, and bring to a boil.
Remove the lid, decrease the heat, and simmer a MINIMUM of 2 hours- I simmered for 3.
Add more water if vegetables begin to be exposed in simmering.
Add 1-2 tbsp. sea salt at the end of simmering, then strain the entire mixture through a coarse mesh strainer into heat-resistant bowls.

At this point, you have a versatile broth!  Drink it like tea, or use it as the base for other soups, or on rice dishes.  Beyond that, you have:

1. Whole red potatoes.  Separate them, add back some broth and bits of leeks, onion, and yam.  Puree.  Add cream and .... voila! Potato soup!

2. Whole carrots.  Peel them, slice them, and top with melted butter, dill,  and honey- a yummy side dish.

3. Yams. Puree them and add them back into a variety of dishes for enhanced vitamins.

4. A heap of vegetable mush that chickens or pigs love.  Get a chicken, and eventually this results in some further yum.... eggs, meat.... :)