In Good Taste: Natural immune boosters
Amazing isn’t it, how nature provides us with a range of fresh fruit and vegetables at their very peak in autumn, and which contain all the vitamins and nutrients to boost our immune system and prepare our bodies for the coming cold months?
As we harvest the last tomatoes and put them on the stove to simmer with masses of onions, garlic, the remaining basil, some chilli, salt, pepper and a little sugar, we can almost taste the goodness and warmth it will provide a few months from now, and know it contains the added bonus of vitamin C, with its wonderful reputation of warding off the common cold. The garlic and onions contain allicin, an antifungal, antibiotic and possibly anti-viral compound.
Kale and chard, both rich in folic acid and vitamin C, are best steamed or added to soups if you want the most nutrients. Apples, pumpkin and quince are all gathered in the autumn and contain high levels of vitamin C, amongst other goodies, and all pair well with walnuts, which need to be collected, dried and stored at this time.
Mushrooms are an autumnal wonder food, and the smell of them cooking (especially if combined with some frying bacon), can make a grown man cry! They contain a top-rated source of the powerful antioxidant L-ergothioneine (which boosts immunity and protects red blood cells). Also rich in Vitamin B (this helps ease depression and tiredness during the cold months), they contain fibre and selenium, which is vital for our immune system.
Autumn Mushroom Soup
60g butter
Olive oil
1 finely chopped large onion
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
1 large peeled potato, chopped
600g mushrooms (a mixture is good), wiped with a paper
towel and sliced
Good splash of white wine
800ml chicken stock
Salt and pepper
Crisply fried bacon and finely chopped parsley to serve
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and quickly fry some of the mushrooms (in batches) until golden. In a large pot, heat the butter and a tablespoon of olive oil and add the onions, potato and celery. Cook very slowly until all the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in the wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Return the fried mushrooms to the pot, season and return to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes on a gentle heat, then remove from the stove. Cool a little before blending and ensure that you only half-fill the blender with the hot soup. Check the seasoning and serve in bowls with the bacon and parsley scattered over the top.
Don’t forget the old stuffed mushroom idea too. Although I haven’t seen them around for some time, there’s no reason why these delightful morsels should ever be forgotten. Blue cheese or goat cheese crumbled into the hollow of each large cap, a sprinkle of coarse breadcrumbs on top, a drizzle of olive oil, and a peck of salt and pepper. Baked in a hot oven for about 15 to 20 minutes and you have a perfect autumn lunch. Serve on a bed of rocket from your garden.
And of course there is the very rich and delightful stuffed onion. Even my daughter loves these, so they are family friendly and everyone will be amazed at your cleverness. Their natural sweetness as they slowly bake combines with the cheesy insides and they are great with any roasted meat or on their own as a lunch.
Remember to celebrate the seasons by having some of your harvest where all can enjoy it. A bowl of quince can delicately perfume the entire house, and a basket of walnuts on a table will invite you to crack and enjoy them at any time of the day as a healthy snack. A pumpkin on the hearth and a plait of garlic next to the stove will inspire, and all of these things will remind us of the wonders we enjoy from this amazing land in which we live.
Fiona Feasey
