Garlic Soup Puree
Submitted by cherylnbrian
Creamy garlic soup made with a full pound of garlic cloves slow-cooked in olive oil, pureed with chicken broth, and finished with milk. Surprisingly mellow and silky.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
60 minREADY
70 minA full pound of garlic. That’s not a typo. This soup uses an entire pound of unpeeled garlic cloves cooked slowly in olive oil until the skins turn golden and the cloves inside become soft, sweet, and completely transformed. Raw garlic is sharp and pungent. Cooked this long, it turns mild, almost nutty, with a deep sweetness that’s nothing like the bite you’d expect.
The unpeeled cloves cook in olive oil for 15 to 20 minutes, then onion joins them for another 5. Chicken broth, lemon juice, bay leaves, and thyme get added for a 30-minute simmer. Everything gets pureed and strained, which catches the skins and any tough bits, leaving behind a smooth, amber-colored base.
Milk added at the end transforms the garlic puree into a creamy, velvety soup. The lemon juice keeps it from being heavy by adding a subtle brightness that balances the richness of all that slow-cooked garlic.
Chef Tips
- Don’t bother peeling the garlic. The skins come off during straining, and they actually protect the cloves from burning during the long cook.
- Stir occasionally while the garlic cooks in oil. You want even golden color, not burnt spots on one side.
- Strain thoroughly after pureeing. Any bits of skin left in the soup ruin the silky texture.
- Bring the milk to a boil then immediately reduce to a simmer. Sustained boiling can cause the milk to scorch or separate.
Variations
- Stir in a tablespoon of cream cheese or heavy cream for an even richer, more luxurious texture.
- Float garlic croutons on top for crunch and extra garlic flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
Separate the heads of garlic into cloves, but don’t bother to peel them.
Heat olive oil in a 2 quart pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes or until the skins turn golden.
Add the onion and cook until soft, another 5 minutes.
Add the broth, then the lemon juice, bay leaves and thyme.
Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat, place contents of the pot in a food processor or blender and puree.
Strain garlic purée through strainer into a medium pot over medium heat.
Add milk cover, and bring to a boil.
Immediatly reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve hot.
Comments
