Immunity Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
2 large carrots, julienned
2 1/2 pieces astragalus root (about 15-inches total)
8 cups mushroom stock (see recipe, below)
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce or 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup julienned scallion
MUSHROOM STOCK
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms
2 1/2 quarts water
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

Preparation

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and ginger and cook until soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add mushrooms, carrots, astragalus root, stock and 2 cups water. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes.
Add tamari and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed. Add broccoli and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
Remove astragalus root pieces. Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with scallions before serving.
MUSHROOM STOCK:
Stock used in restaurants is usually made with chicken, but we serve so many vegetarian dishes that we needed something different for our sauces and soups. Shiitake mushrooms impart a savory essence; you'll never miss the meat. Keep in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for a month.
Chop 2 ribs celery and 1 medium onion and put in large pot with 2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms and 2 1/2 quarts water.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Turn off heat, cover, and let stock steep 20 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce.
Pour stock through a fine-mesh strainer, discard solids, and let cool.
(Makes 2 quarts.).