Fresh Thyme and Garlic Soup
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS: 4 heads of garlic 1 bunch (12 sprigs) fresh thyme, or 4 fresh sage leaves or 3 fresh tarragon sprigs or 6 springs of fresh marjoram or 1 large bunch of parsley 1 quart chicken broth or water Juice of 1 lemon or lime Salt and pepper 4slices of stale or lightly toasted French bread, plus extra slices for passing
DIRECTIONS:
1. Break up the heads of garlic into cloves. Discard the papery membrane that comes off while you’re breaking up the heads, but don’t bother peeling the cloves.
2. Tie the thyme or other herbs into a small bundle and put it into a 4-quart pot with the garlic. Pour in the stock, cover the pot and bring the soup to a slow simmer. Cook about 30minutes, until the garlic cloves are very soft and can be crushed easily against the inside of the pot.
3. Strain the soup through a strainer into a blender. Peel the garlic (the peels will come off very easily) and add the cloves to the blender, or simply use the ladle to crush the unpeeled cloves against the strainer into the blender. Add the lemon or lime juice, season with salt and pepper, and puree.
4. Place a slice of stale bread in each bowl and pour the soup over it. You can top each bowl of soup with a spoonful of virgin olive oil or a dollop of butter, but this isn’t essential. Pass slices of French bread brushed with olive oil in a basket.
Per serving: 210calories; 2g fat; 1g saturated fat; 5mg cholesterol; 10g protein; 42g carbohydrate; 3g sugar; 2g fiber; 1,183mg sodium; 148 mg calcium
Recipe from “Splendid Soups” by James Peterson