Photo: Garlic Soup with Creole Croutons Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 cups sliced onions
- 1/3 cup peeled garlic cloves (about 12 to 14)
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 7 turns freshly ground black pepper
- 2 quarts chicken stock or beef broth
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
- 3 cups diced day-old French or Italian bread
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup coarsely grated fresh Parmesan
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a soup pot over high heat. Add the red pepper flakes, onions, garlic cloves, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir well and saute until the onions are caramelized, for about 7 minutes. (Don't let the onions get too dark; they should be sweet-tasting and a rich golden-brown color.)
Stir in the stock, minced garlic, basil, and thyme, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, make the croutons. Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a small skillet or saute pan and add 1 cup of the bread. Cook, stirring, until golden brown and crispy around the edges. Drain on paper towels and toss with Essence, to taste. Reserve.
After the soup has cooked for about 40 minutes, increase the heat to high and whisk in the remaining 2 cups of the bread and the cream, and continue whisking until the bread has disintegrated into the soup, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the Parmesan and remove from the heat. Puree the soup with an immersion blender.
Serve the soup hot, allowing 1 1/4 cups per portion. Top with the croutons.
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By bloombrews
Pittsburgh, PA
on February 14, 2012
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The recipe is not clear about the garlic cloves. The best way to make this soup is to take whole garlic cloves with enough olive oil to coat, and roast them to a light brown under an electric grill oven at 350-375. Do NOT be afraid to add more garlic then the recipe calls for, as the garlic really mellows and gets a great nutty taste to it when roasted first.
Take the roasted garlic, add some of the soup base into a food processor and pulse till smooth. Then add back to the soup base. Follow the rest of the recipe, without the salt, and this soup is sooooooo good !
By websmither_13047760
cape may cour house
on December 29, 2011
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HOMERUN!
We love this soup; it’s going to be a regular at our table.
Found this recipe for medicinal purposes. Everyone around us is sneezing. It’s the most delicious medicine ever. Aged white cheddar in place of parmesan and a bottle of amstel light due to a veg. stock shortage. Yummy & healthy!
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By cstoiber
on November 01, 2011
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Right from the start this recipe is a joy! Onions and garlic - is there anything better to smell cooking in a pan?! This was a big hit, it's a new family favorite. I served it as the first course for an extended family dinner, everyone loved it and asks me to make it anytime we get together.
Read all 26 reviews