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Cream Of Garlic Soup
Dec. 4th, 2010 08:38 pmYes, it's another cooking post! There is a show on the Food Network called "The Best Thing I Ever Ate". TV food personalities talk about the best dishes, of various themes, from restaurants all over America. Recently, the theme was garlic. A guy described cream of garlic soup from a restaurant in New Orleans, then they go back in the kitchen and show how it's made. It looked AMAZING! And something I could possibly make at home. I Googled "cream of garlic soup" and the second entry was THE recipe from THAT restaurant, the one I saw on the show. This recipe here: http://www.gumbopages.com/food/soups/garlic.html
What I did different:
Well, I didn't measure much. I used 1 1/2 very large Mayan sweet onions. I peeled 4 heads of garlic, I didn't count how many cloves. When I'm chopping stuff up, I use old Cool Whip tubs as a "store stuff till I'm ready to use it" bowl. It was 3/4 full. Larger cloves cut so everyone was about the same size. I took 3 more heads of garlic, and threw them in the oven to roast. (Cut off the tops, olive oil, etc..) I didn't measure the butter and olive oil, just eyeballed what looked like enough.
Cooked the garlic in the stock pot for a while first, then threw in the onions. The recipe said to cook till everything was golden brown. I cooked for a good long time over medium low heat, but it never turned brown. I don't know if it's the nature of my cookware, but things never brown for me unless I actually burn them. I cooked and stirred, cooked and stirred, and as things were getting soft, I cut up 4 crimini mushrooms, and added them to the pot. Sure smelled good...
The recipe called for "bouquet garni"- parsley, thyme and bay leaf, tied together, to be simmered in the soup and fished out before serving. At the store you can get fresh herbs packed in small containers. It's not as fresh as growing your own, or getting it from the farmer's market, but it'll do. They have a pack called "poultry blend", rosemary, thyme and sage, just enough for one chicken dinner. I used that to make my own bouquet garni. Voila! I am ze French Chef!
Assembly: added my chicken stock, the bouquet, the roasted garlic from the oven, a few things from the spice rack, brought it to a boil, then added the bread. I didn't have stale bread, so a few cut-up pieces of French bread that I bought today would have to do. When I saw them put bread in the soup on the TV show, I was confused. Stale bread as part of the soup? I've never heard of that. But wow, it adds starch and richness. I fished out the bouquet after a while, then got out my stick blender. I've had it for years and years, I don't use it that often, but I'm really glad I've got one.
After blending, you're supposed to strain the soup. I didn't. There wasn't anything particularly large or undesirable left in the pot. I added a few splashes of whipping cream for decadence, then let it simmer for a few more minutes.
Taste: I'm really, really proud of this, I think it's the best thing I've ever made. Garlicky yes, but smooth and rich, not sharp and pungent. I think putting some mushrooms in was a stroke of genius.
What I did different:
Well, I didn't measure much. I used 1 1/2 very large Mayan sweet onions. I peeled 4 heads of garlic, I didn't count how many cloves. When I'm chopping stuff up, I use old Cool Whip tubs as a "store stuff till I'm ready to use it" bowl. It was 3/4 full. Larger cloves cut so everyone was about the same size. I took 3 more heads of garlic, and threw them in the oven to roast. (Cut off the tops, olive oil, etc..) I didn't measure the butter and olive oil, just eyeballed what looked like enough.
Cooked the garlic in the stock pot for a while first, then threw in the onions. The recipe said to cook till everything was golden brown. I cooked for a good long time over medium low heat, but it never turned brown. I don't know if it's the nature of my cookware, but things never brown for me unless I actually burn them. I cooked and stirred, cooked and stirred, and as things were getting soft, I cut up 4 crimini mushrooms, and added them to the pot. Sure smelled good...
The recipe called for "bouquet garni"- parsley, thyme and bay leaf, tied together, to be simmered in the soup and fished out before serving. At the store you can get fresh herbs packed in small containers. It's not as fresh as growing your own, or getting it from the farmer's market, but it'll do. They have a pack called "poultry blend", rosemary, thyme and sage, just enough for one chicken dinner. I used that to make my own bouquet garni. Voila! I am ze French Chef!
Assembly: added my chicken stock, the bouquet, the roasted garlic from the oven, a few things from the spice rack, brought it to a boil, then added the bread. I didn't have stale bread, so a few cut-up pieces of French bread that I bought today would have to do. When I saw them put bread in the soup on the TV show, I was confused. Stale bread as part of the soup? I've never heard of that. But wow, it adds starch and richness. I fished out the bouquet after a while, then got out my stick blender. I've had it for years and years, I don't use it that often, but I'm really glad I've got one.
After blending, you're supposed to strain the soup. I didn't. There wasn't anything particularly large or undesirable left in the pot. I added a few splashes of whipping cream for decadence, then let it simmer for a few more minutes.
Taste: I'm really, really proud of this, I think it's the best thing I've ever made. Garlicky yes, but smooth and rich, not sharp and pungent. I think putting some mushrooms in was a stroke of genius.
