Garlic Soup

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 55

Servings: people

What may seem like an overwhelming amount of garlic at first transforms beautifully as it slowly simmers in the broth, developing a mellow, almost buttery depth of flavor that surprises even the skeptics.

Ingredients

Garlic Soup

2 garlic bulbs, or 30 cloves separated
½ cup olive oil
3 slices of bacon, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
1 baking potato, peeled and diced
6 cups chicken stock, or water
1 bouquet garni
3 egg yolks

Cheese Croutons

½ baguette, sliced
¼ cup Gruyere cheese, grated
salt and pepper, to taste

US - Metric

Instructions

For The Garlic Soup

Smash the garlic cloves and peel them.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook the bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes without browning it.
Add the garlic cloves, the diced potato, and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the stock and bouquet garni and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, partially covered, until the potatoes start to dissolve into the soup.
Whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl. Add the remaining olive oil in a thin stream, whisking until thickened. Gradually whisk in the hot soup, bacon, garlic, and potato pieces into the egg mixture.
Strain the garlic soup back into the saucepan using a fine mesh colander or chinois, pressing to extract all the liquid. Do not forget to scrape the back side of the colander into the soup.
Place the soup back to the stove and heat gently without boiling. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Cheese Crouton

Preheat the broiler and lightly toast the bread on both sides.
Sprinkle with the cheese and broil until melted.
Place a few croutons in each warm garlic soup bowl, ladle the soup over the top, or serve the croutons on the side.

Equipment

Notes

Keeping the garlic clove whole instead of chopping it gives a much sweeter flavor.
Remove any green sprouts from your garlic prior to cooking with it.
Once the egg is incorporated into the soup, do not bring it back to a boil but a mere simmer. You do not want the egg to curdle.

Nutrition

Giangi's Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.