Odd and Wonderful Garlic Soup
Try its mellow goodness once and you’ll be hooked.
Years ago a friend had me over for lunch and as she knew I’m a big soup lover — she said she had something special and unusual for me.
I always love the sound of those words.
She placed a big rustic bowl of creamy white soup in front of me and the fragrance was incredible.
“Garlic soup — sounds odd but you’ll love it.”
And well — I am odd and like odd things so it wasn’t that big of a stretch for me to try it.
I fell in love with that smooth and mellow soup instantly and of course, I begged for her recipe and another bowlful.
This recipe came from her husband’s aunt in Italy so we need to send love to Italy every time we eat this soup.
It is also oddly different as you cook it in the oven vs on top of the stove. So make sure your pot is oven-proof.
And don’t worry — although there is loads of garlic — it softens and mellows and you didn’t want any vampires in your life anyway.
Garlic Soup
Serves 4.
6 large yellow or white onions peeled and rough chopped
2 big heads of garlic peeled. (Not cloves — the full heads)
5 cups of chicken stock
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp pepper
2 cups half and half cream
Parmesan cheese* optional
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2. Rough cut the onions and put them in a dutch oven.
Step 3. Throw peeled garlic cloves from the 2 heads of garlic on top.
Step 4. Add 3 cups of the chicken stock.
Step 5. Cover with lid and cook in the oven for 1.5 hours at 350 degrees.
Step 6. Remove from oven and blend in a blender in batches. Put the blended soup in a big bowl and then transfer it back to the original pot once done. It already has a loving relationship with it.
Step 7. Once the soup is back in its pot, add the remaining stock, the half and half cream and gently heat until hot but never boiling.*
Step 8. Add salt and pepper to taste. And I like a light dusting of Parmesan cheese too.
- Author’s note: I also add a splash of white wine while reheating — if I have some kicking around the house.
Thanks for reading! I have loads of food essays (delicious recipes too) and thoughtful and quirky simpler living essays waiting for you. (Well over 100 of them!) And this story caught the attention of NBC News in New York!