** Post & photos updated 10/2015 **
Move over chicken soup because I’ve got a new bowl of comfort in my life.
How I’ve made it this far in life without making garlic soup is beyond me. I love garlic and I love soup so it’s clearly a match made in heaven. And, unlike chicken soup, it’s easy to make and requires only a few ingredients. This particular version is thickened using egg yolks, which results in a rich and velvety smooth soup perfect for those days when you need a little TLC in a bowl.
The soup is very easy to make – it all starts with some water, garlic, and herbs that simmer together for about 45 minutes. After it’s combined with the egg yolks the soup has a wonderful subtle garlic and herb flavor that’s not overwhelming. It’s simple and elegant and I like to garnish it with homemade croutons, which can be made while the soup is simmering.
Enjoy!
Garlic Soup
This garlic soup is so comforting – it doesn’t take long to prepare and is a perfect starter for a meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 2-4
- Category: Soups & Stews
Ingredients
- 5 cups of water
- 12 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- bay leaf
- 3 french bread slices (1 1/2 inch thick), cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon herbs de Provence
- generous pinch of salt
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the water to a simmer over medium high heat. Add the garlic, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Let it all simmer (adjust the heat, if necessary) for 45 minutes.
- While the broth is simmering, prepare the croutons. Toss the bread cubes in the olive oil, herbs de Provence, and salt. Spread them out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until the are golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk the egg yolks together until smooth and set aside.
- Once the garlic has simmered, strain the liquid (I use a fine mesh sieve positioned over a bowl) and discard the solids. Ladle a small amount of the hot broth into the bowl with the egg yolks, Whisk it together with the yolks – this will help warm the eggs slowly so they don’t scramble. Ladle another small amount and whisk again. Next, pour the soup from the bowl back into the pot with the broth and whisk it all together. At this point you could strain the soup to ensure there are no solids, but I just serve it up. Garnish each serving with the croutons.
- Makes enough for 4 small servings (as a meal starter) or 2 larger servings.
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