Best winter detox soup: carrot, ginger, and chicory

A recipe for Magnifico by Italian Chef Franco Sangiacomo

It is time to detox

Did you overindulge in huge lunches and dinners during the holiday season? Did you enjoy way too much panettone and pandoro? It is time to detox! There is no better way to detox during the winter season than choosing a warming soup. A good soup can be perfect for cleansing and nourishing your body. Your body will likely thank you! 

A recipe by chef Franco Sangiacomo

We asked Tuscan chef Franco Sangiacomo - Food and Beverage Director of Castello Ricasoli, in beautiful Gaiole in Chianti - to suggest a simple and good recipe. The chef proposes to Magnifico his Zuppa di carote, zenzero e cicoria. "I love this simple soup - the chef told us - It's packed with nutrients and is really good."

Zuppa di carote, zenzero e cicoria

For this recipe (enough for two people) you will need carrots (14 oz), minced ginger (2 oz), chicory (10 oz), garlic (1 clove), onion (2), celery, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper. Here are the directions: prepare a vegetable broth with a large carrot, a stalk of celery, and an onion, boiling them in abundant water. Clean and wash the chicory; cook it in abundant salted water for 10 minutes, drain and set aside. Thinly slice the remaining onion, brown it in a pot, and add the remaining carrots (previously peeled and washed) cut into pieces. After 5 minutes, cover with vegetable broth and cook for 25 minutes. When the carrots are cooked, add the minced ginger. Season with salt and pepper, then blend the mixture. If the soup is too thick, add a cup of vegetable broth. Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a pan, add a crushed clove of garlic, sauté the chicory; add salt. Serve the carrot soup with the sautéed chicory and some toasted bread cubes.

The benefits of ginger 

Ginger has been used medicinally for thousands of years. It is literally miraculous: its benefits are infinite. This root is super healthy, and it is packed with nutrients. Ginger is one of the best detoxifying vegetables; this is why it is always recommended in every detox diet. Ginger is also anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. But it doesn't end here; ginger stimulates digestion and circulation.

The benefits of chicory 

Chicory also has extraordinary properties and health benefits. This Mediterranean vegetable is packed with nutrients. Chicory can help digestive and gastric issues. It boosts the immune system. In addition, chicory reduces the chances of heart diseases.