Garlic Soup Recipe
We’ve had a number of Thanksgivings in Italy (although not always easy to hunt down turkey). Who else but a bunch of Americans in Italy would find themselves thinking they could do without the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie on the fourth Thursday in November. Our Italian friends were not unpuzzled by the tradition, a 3pm early dinner or a 3pm late lunch. They had seen some of the innumerable American movies with Thanksgiving scenes. And while Italians don’t have the Thanksgiving tradition, in the last few years they taken on the Day-After Tradition, Black Friday, which in Italy is also called Black Friday (sales), and initially created some confusion—why black and why Friday,—since, for Italians, Thanksgiving is a work day as well as the day after.
Here’s one of our favorite soups for Thanksgiving!
Garlic Soup
No cause for alarm—the copious amount of garlic in this recipe is attenuated by the simmering, during which the strength dissipates but the flavor stays. Serve this soup warm, topped with toasted croutons or a slice of bruschetta.
SERVES 4
2 MEDIUM POTATOES, PEELED AND DICED
1 YELLOW ONION, CHOPPED
2 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
2 WHOLE HEADS OF GARLIC, PEELED
5 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK
½ TEASPOON SALT
½ TEASPOON PEPPER
1 TABLESPOON FRESH THYME LEAVES OR 1½ TEASPOONS DRIED
½ CUP HEAVY CREAM
SNIPPED CHIVES
Steam the potatoes, about 8 minutes. In a 6-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onion in the olive oil. When it begins to turn translucent, add the garlic and turn the heat to low. The garlic should soften but not brown—cook gently, about 10 minutes.
Add the potatoes to the onion and garlic, along with 1 cup of the chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring just to a boil, then quickly lower the heat and simmer very gently for 20 minutes. Purée with an immersion blender and add the remaining 4 cups of stock and the thyme. Stir with a whisk and simmer for 20 minutes to blend flavors. Whisk in the heavy cream. Serve warm. Stir before serving. Scatter the snipped chives on top.
Excerpt from
The Tuscan Sun Cookbook
Here’s one of our favorite soups for Thanksgiving!
Garlic Soup
No cause for alarm—the copious amount of garlic in this recipe is attenuated by the simmering, during which the strength dissipates but the flavor stays. Serve this soup warm, topped with toasted croutons or a slice of bruschetta.
SERVES 4
2 MEDIUM POTATOES, PEELED AND DICED
1 YELLOW ONION, CHOPPED
2 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
2 WHOLE HEADS OF GARLIC, PEELED
5 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK
½ TEASPOON SALT
½ TEASPOON PEPPER
1 TABLESPOON FRESH THYME LEAVES OR 1½ TEASPOONS DRIED
½ CUP HEAVY CREAM
SNIPPED CHIVES
Steam the potatoes, about 8 minutes. In a 6-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onion in the olive oil. When it begins to turn translucent, add the garlic and turn the heat to low. The garlic should soften but not brown—cook gently, about 10 minutes.
Add the potatoes to the onion and garlic, along with 1 cup of the chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring just to a boil, then quickly lower the heat and simmer very gently for 20 minutes. Purée with an immersion blender and add the remaining 4 cups of stock and the thyme. Stir with a whisk and simmer for 20 minutes to blend flavors. Whisk in the heavy cream. Serve warm. Stir before serving. Scatter the snipped chives on top.
Excerpt from
The Tuscan Sun Cookbook