Want a recipe that will help strengthen the chest and throat as well as assist with upper respiratory infections? The onions and almonds in this soup recipe help. Onions have a pungent that serves to spread and eliminate pathogens from the body. Moreover, it revitalizes the circulation of Qi.

The puree of caramelized onions and toasted almonds give a natural creaminess to the soup without the addition of cream whereas the addition of saffron (previously used to dye the robes of Buddhist monks) provides a hint of special flavor and color. 

The nuttiness of the sherry accents the almonds while the acidity balances the creaminess and richness of the soup and keeps you coming back for more. The pungent quality of onions offers warmth and runs energy in the body outwards and upwards.  Onions belong to the lily family - lilies are one of the oldest cultivated plants originated in the East Asia and have been commonly used in the preparations of herbal products and to ease coughs for years.     

Caramelized Onion Soup with Toasted Almond, Saffron and Sherry

Serving size: About 2-3

Prep Time & Cook Time: 15 minutes to 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 oz Butter

2-3 C Sliced yellow or white onion

4-5 oz Sliced almonds, toasted

1-2 Cloves Garlic

1-2 C Vegetable stock

Pinch saffron

1-2 teaspoons Dry Sherry

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Using the butter, lightly caramelize the onions, adding the garlic towards the end.  Add the stock, toasted almonds, saffron, salt and pepper to taste and simmer until soft.  Puree, balance with sherry and adjust seasoning.

The recipes on The Way are intended as an East meets West look at food and its relationship to health and nutrition. Food is powerful, and every bite can either greatly benefit your system or effectively work against it. In Chinese Medicine, each grain, vegetable, meat, fruit, and spice has unique properties that can be harnessed to help us achieve and maintain balance in our bodies. Our recipes seek to incorporate some of the age-old principles of Chinese medicine into the culinary practices more familiar to the West.

Dining with Culinary Artist Travis Metzger is an unforgettable experience. You can taste the passion, creativity and culinary expertise in each of Travis’s one-of-kind recipes. Most would agree that Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs in their original form taste less than delectable, but Travis has proven that TCM for today can taste great with DAO Labs. Travis develops unique flavors for each DAO formula to complement the proprietary blend of herbs and their health benefits. After extensive training at the New England Culinary Institute, Travis ran some of the finest restaurants across the country before starting his own in Minneapolis. To survive the stresses and physical challenges of the kitchen heat, Travis focused on combining natural ingredients for healthy AND delicious eating and juicing.