Apple curry coconut soup

A cure for what ails you… Apple coconut curry shiitake soup. Delicious.

In the interest of winning the epic life long battle against the dreaded cold and flu season, and because we are going apple picking tomorrow and are going to need all sorts of things to do with the bushel of apples we are sure to bring home, I present to you this incredibly delicious, warming, wholesome, flavorful (nay, spicy if truth be told) and healing apple coconut curry soup.

It started with an e mail from John Gallagher (of Learning Herbs fame) with the subject line: “Is an apple a healing herb?” Naturally I had to find out, so I opened the message and discovered this recipe from Learning Herbs contributor Rosalie de la Foret. Before laying down the cooking directions, she shares a bit about the healing properties of each ingredient (Apples are loaded with antioxidants, garlic boosts the immune system and shiitake mushrooms have been shown to support cardiovascular health) just in case we need any more motivation.

And then we are off to the races. You can get all sorts of details about the nutrition, plus the recipe in it’s original form, on LearningHerbs.com.
But I’ve laid it all out here just to make it easier.

I’ve been eating this soup all week and man has it hit the spot!

Coconut Apple Curry Soup

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
2 small apples, cubed into small pieces (I like the more tart apples like McIntosh)
2 medium potatoes, cubed into small pieces (I like Yellow Finn potatoes)
1 quart vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup coconut milk
Salt to taste (I added about 2 teaspoons)
2 handfuls fresh shiitakes, cut into quarters (If using dry shiitakes, rehydrate the mushrooms in hot water and then cut to size)
Parsley for garnish (optional)

Begin by melting the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the minced onion and sauté until translucent. Add the fresh ginger, curry powder, and freshly ground pepper. Stir for one minute or until the spices are fragrant.

Bring it to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add salt to taste. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, purée the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and add the shiitakes.

Simmer for 10 minutes or until shiitakes are cooked. Stir frequently. Add salt and pepper as desired. Optional parsley for garnish. Makes four large servings