Roast Garlic Broad Brean & Saffron Soup
Submitted by rea
Roast garlic, broad bean and saffron soup pureed smooth with brown rice, chicken stock and slow-roasted whole garlic cloves. A golden, velvety bowl with deep mellow sweetness and Mediterranean color.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
60 minTwenty whole garlic cloves roasted in olive oil until soft and honeyed is the foundation of this soup. Roasting flips garlic’s personality completely, from sharp and aggressive raw to buttery, sweet and almost jammy, so don’t panic at the quantity.
Saffron simmers with brown rice as the rice cooks, steeping its ochre color and warm, hay-like aroma into the grains. Fresh or frozen broad beans (also known as fava) come in next, adding a grassy, bright sweetness that balances the garlic’s depth. Everything gets pureed until silky, thinned with the golden chicken stock for a soup that looks like sunshine in a bowl.
Don’t rush the garlic step. Soft and golden is the target, any browning turns the cloves bitter and the whole pot suffers.
Chef Tips
- Double-peel the broad beans (slip them from their waxy skins after blanching) for a brighter green color and smoother texture.
- Bloom the saffron threads in a spoonful of warm water before adding for deeper color extraction.
- Puree in batches with the lid cracked, hot soup expands and will blow the lid off a sealed blender.
- Pass through a fine sieve after blending for restaurant-smooth texture.
Variations
- Swap chicken stock for vegetable stock to make it fully vegetarian.
- Finish with a swirl of lemon olive oil and a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Top with crispy pancetta or fried sage leaves for contrast.
Ingredients
Directions
Put the rice in a saucepan with the water, salt and saffron.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5/190C/375F.
Put the garlic cloves in a small roasting tin with the oil and roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are soft and golden but not brown.
Turn them once to make sure they do not brown underneath.
Add the beans to the rice, pour on the stock and bring to the boil.
Add the garlic cloves and their oil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, cool a little then purée in a food processor or blender.
Taste and season to taste, then serve immediately.
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