GARLIC SOUP WITH THYME
Ingredients:
4 heads fresh garlic
1 bunch of fresh thyme (8-12 stems)
1 quart chicken broth or water
juice of 1 lemon
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 slices stale or toasted French bread
Directions:
Break the heads of garlic into cloves, discarding only the loose wrappings, and leaving the cloves unpeeled. Place cloves and thyme stems in a saucepan and cover with stock or water. Bring liquid to a simmer, cover, and cook slowly for 30 minutes.
Remove the thyme stems, and sieve out the garlic cloves and puree them through a food mill or peel and puree them in a blender or food processor. Add the stock, the lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place the toasted bread rounds in the bottom of each soup bowl and pour on the soup.
Yield: 4 servings
VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO GARLIC SOUP
Herbs: substitute sage, tarragon or parsley for the thyme
Lemon juice: substitute lime juice
Eggs: Break an egg over each serving and place soup bowls in a preheated 350 degree oven. Start checking their consistency after 6 minutes. The whites should be set but the yolks still runny.
Adapted from James Peterson's book, Splendid Soups, (Bantam, 1993)
