Garlic Soup

It's no secret that I'm a fan of garlic. Between garlic sauce, zchug, and my penchant for Italian foods, garlic is consumed rapidly in my kitchen. This soup, however, takes the metaphorical cake, using more garlic per serving than any other recipe I've made, as far as I can calculate.

Served with some soda bread croutons, this soup is refreshing and hearty, and full of flavor without being overpowering. Granted, I like garlic, so you can take my opinion with a grain of salt, but...

Garlic has health benefits, too—from warding off vampires to anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties evident from lab tests. It's been used as a panacea since time immemorial, seen as a cure for a wide variety of ailments. It can help prevent scurvy, and has other traditionally-believed effects on the common cold, blood sugar, and heart problems—though not all of these claims are fully supported by science.

We know for sure that eating enough garlic will leave you smelling like garlic, so this soup is best shared with a large group of friends, if only to ensure that you won't be the only one whose very pores exude garlicky goodness.

Garlic Soup
72 cloves garlic, peeled
3 Tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
3 Tbsp (45 ml) butter, melted
3 onion, small, finely chopped
3 oz (85 g) all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp (45 ml) white wine vinegar
3 quarts (2.83 L) chicken stock
6 egg yolks, beaten lightly
soda bread croutons

1. Crush the garlic. Put the oil and butter into a pot, heat until shimmering, add the garlic and onion, and cook gently for 20 minutes.

2. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook for a few minutes, then stir in the wine vinegar, stock, and water. Simmer for 30 minutes. Purée lightly with a food mill or immersion blender.

3. When ready to serve, whisk in the egg yolks, and hold at a simmer. Do not allow the soup to boil again.

4. Sauté soda bread slices (recipe forthcoming) in butter until brown. Put the croutons into soup bowls and pour the hot soup over.

Serves 24. (This recipe does scale well.)