Best Veg: Garlic Soup (and Variations)

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Here's a good recipe for the flu season.

Ellen

 

* Exported from MasterCook Mac *

 

Garlic Soup (and Variations)

 

Recipe By : Best Vegetarian Recipes, Martha Rose Shulman page 86

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Soups

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

6 cups water

4 large garlic cloves -- (to taste) (4 to 6)

- minced or pressed

- PLUS

1 garlic clove -- cut in half

1 1/2 teaspoons salt -- (to taste)

- (1 1/2 to 2)

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme -- (1/4 to 1/2)

- or a few sprigs of fresh thyme

- or 2 or 3 fresh sage leaves

4 thick country style bread slices

- or French bread

2 large eggs -- beaten

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil -- (optional)

freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan -- (2 to 4)

- or Gruyère cheese

 

 

I apologize to those of you who have my other books for repeating

myself here, but I cannot leave garlic soup out of this cookbook. It

is essential to the vegetarian cook, because it's so easy to make, so

pleasing, and makes such a nutritious meal. If you can make this

soup, even when you think you have nothing in the house, you can make

dinner (I am assuming you will have garlic). This is the same version

of Garlic Soup that I published in Light Basics Cookbook.

 

If you are not familiar with garlic soup, the name might alarm you,

as you imagine a soup that will remind everyone you see for the next

few hours or days what you have eaten for dinner. But fear not.

Garlic, and not too much of it, is simmered gently in water to

achieve this easy, comforting soup, resulting in a savory broth with

great depth of flavor.

 

Many culinary traditions have their version of garlic soup. I first

tasted it in Mexico; I have eaten it in Spain, and most often, in

Provence, where it is considered not only a perfect meal, but a great

restorative. " Aigo Bouido sauva la vida, " " garlic soup is a life

saver, " goes an old Provençal saying.

 

For me it's a lifesaver because I know that on any given night when I

don't think I have anything for dinner, I have the ingredients for

garlic soup. Enjoy this basic recipe, and all of the variations.

 

 

1. Bring the water to a boil in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan or soup pot.

Add the minced or pressed garlic, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, bay leaf, and

thyme or sage. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Taste:

Does it taste good? Is there enough salt? Garlic?

 

2. Toast the bread. As soon as it's done, rub both sides with the cut

clove of garlic and set aside.

 

3. Beat together the eggs and optional olive oil. Spoon a ladleful of

the hot soup into the eggs and stir together. Then turn off the heat

under the soup, and stir in the egg mixture. The eggs should cloud

the soup but they shouldn't scramble if the soup isn't boiling. Stir

in the pepper and parsley.

 

4. Place a garlic crouton in each bowl. Ladle in the soup, sprinkle

Parmesan or Gruyère over the top, and serve.

 

Variations:

 

Garlic Soup with Broccoli, Peas, Green Beans or Sugar Snap Peas: Add

1/2 pound broccoli florets, green beans or sugar snap peas, or 1 cup

fresh or thawed frozen peas, to the soup at the end of Step 1. Simmer

5 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Meanwhile make the

croutons. Proceed with Step 3.

 

Garlic Soup with Potatoes: Add 1/2 pound waxy potatoes, such as Yukon

Gold, fingerlings or white creamers, scrubbed and sliced about 1/4

inch thick, to the soup at the beginning of Step 1. By the end of the

15 minutes they should be tender. If they are not, continue to simmer

until they are tender and proceed with the recipe. If desired, add

green vegetables at the end of step 1.

 

Garlic Soup with Pasta: Add soup pasta such as small shells or elbow

macaroni, or large pasta such as fusilli to the soup at the end of

Step 1. Cook the pasta al dente, then check again for salt, and

proceed with the recipe. If desired, add green vegetables at the end

of step 1.

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

 

Per serving (excluding unknown items): 65 Calories; 5g Fat (66%

calories from fat); 3g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 108mg Cholesterol;

844mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat

 

 

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