Rich Garlic Soup

Rich garlic soup is the kind of dish where the ingredient list looks alarming and the result tastes like a hug. Twenty-eight cloves of garlic might seem like a typo, but as they slowly caramelize alongside a pound of onions for thirty patient minutes, the raw bite vanishes completely and turns into something sweet, mellow, and almost nutty.

A bouquet garni and chicken stock simmer with cubes of French baguette, which thicken the soup as they break down. Then everything goes through the blender and gets enriched with cream into the silky, golden-tan puree that defines this French peasant classic.

Serve with extra crusty bread, a green salad, and a glass of crisp white wine. It’s the kind of soup that earns its place at intimate dinner parties and rainy-night solo dinners alike.

Chef Tips

• Don’t rush the onion-and-garlic caramelization. Thirty minutes over low heat is the secret to mellow, sweet flavor. High heat scorches the garlic and gives the whole soup a bitter edge.
• Use day-old or slightly stale baguette. Fresh bread turns gummy in the blender, but day-old absorbs the broth and purees smoothly into the soup.
• Remove the bouquet garni before pureeing. Hard stems and bay leaves don’t break down, and bits of either in the finished soup are unpleasant.
• Blend in small batches with the blender vented. Hot soup expands and pressurizes a sealed blender, which can launch the lid (and your soup) across the kitchen.

Variations

• Roast the garlic cloves first instead of caramelizing on the stovetop. Roasted garlic adds a deeper, smokier sweetness.
• Add a teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves with the bouquet garni for more herbal depth.
• Garnish with a swirl of garlic-infused olive oil, croutons, and grated Parmesan.