Garlic Soup Recipe
Gently simmered garlic, fragrant herbs, and an egg-and-olive-oil finish make this French soup silky and comforting without cream. Serve with crisp French bread for a simple lunch or an inviting first course.
Equipment
- thick-bottomed saucepan
Ingredients
For The Broth
- 15 garlic cloves initially unpeeled; blanch and peel before simmering.
- 3 pt water
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste.
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper adjust to taste.
- 2 whole cloves the spice, separate from the 15 garlic cloves.
- ¼ teaspoon sage dried
- ¼ teaspoon thyme dried
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 parsley sprigs.
- 3 tablespoon olive oil for the broth
For The Egg And Olive Oil Finish
- 3 egg yolks large eggs
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil separate from the 3 tablespoons used in the broth.
Instructions
- Blanch the 15 garlic clovesunpeeled, in boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain, cool under cold running water, and peel. Discard the blanching water.
- Put the peeled garlic, 3 pt water, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp Black pepper, and the following into a spice bag, 2 whole cloves, ¼ tsp sage, ¼ tsp thyme, 1 bay leaf, 3 parsley sprigs., and the first 3 tbsp olive oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Keep the egg yolks and the remaining 2–3 tablespoons of oil aside.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, until the garlic is very soft.
- Clarify the soup by straining through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof vessel, pressing the soft garlic through with the back of a spoon. Discard the spice bag containing the whole cloves, bay leaf, and tough herb pieces. Or blend the cooked garlic, water once the seasonings are removed. Strain if desired.I prefer clarifying as blending makes a slightly thicker soup. Both are good. Try blending just a cup to try it blended to determine which way you prefer.Return the smooth broth to the pan.
- While the broth simmers, whisk the 3 egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until slightly thickened. Gradually whisk in the reserved 2-3 tbsp olive oil, beginning slowly drop by drop.
- Take the soup off the heat. Slowly whisk a ladleful of hot broth into the egg mixture, adding it a little at a time. Whisk in another ladleful to warm the mixture gradually. This gradual introduction of hot liquid into the egg yolks is called tempering and prevents the eggs from cooking with the result of scrambled eggs.
- Stir the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan. Heat very gently, stirring constantly, until the soup reaches 165°F (74°C); do not let it boil. Remove from the heat promptly. The finish should be silky, not thick like cream soup.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve promptly with toasted French bread and Parmesan, if using and you don't want a dairy-free soup.
Notes
- Remove whole cloves, bay leaf, and tough herb pieces before blending, if using a blender instead of a sieve. Blend before adding the eggs; follow the appliance instructions for hot liquids.
- Warm the yolks gradually with hot broth. After adding them, stir over gentle heat to 165°F (74°C), then remove the pan from the heat; do not boil.
- For make-ahead cooking or freezing, stop before the egg finish for the best texture.
- Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and keep at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3–4 days. Reheat only the portion needed to 165°F (74°C); the egg finish may lose some smoothness.
Nutrition
Calories: 51kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 510mgPotassium: 49mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 205IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 0.5mg
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