I tend to use a lot of garlic in my cooking. It's supposed to be terribly good for you, though I'm not sure if this has been scientifically proven. For those of you with a botanical bent, garlic is a species of the onion family, Alliacae, and it's latin classificaton is Allium sativum L.
I've recently discovered smoked garlic, which you should be able to find in any decent supermarket. For some reason, I find that the raw, pungent taste of the garlic bulb is neutralised by the smoking effect, and consequently, you end up with a smoother taste.
This morning, I've decided to give you a recipe for Smoked Garlic Soup. It's not something you're going to want on a regular basis, but it's ideal if you're feeling a bit under the weather- a shot of this garlic infused soup can do wonders for the soul! This recipe will make enough soup for six to eight people.
Drop a head of smoked garlic (yes, a head- that's about sixteen or so cloves) into boiling water. Take it out after thirty seconds, and peel.
Pour three pints of water into a large pan. Add a few cloves, some chopped sage, a bayleaf, a sprig of thyme, and a slug of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and add the smoked garlic heads. Bring to the boil, and simmer slowly for about thirty minutes.
In a soup tureen, beat three egg yolks, and then add a thin stream of olive oil, so that it forms an emulsion- like making a mayonnaise. Beat in a ladle-full of the hot soup, and whisk. Once the egg yolk, olive oil, and liquid have combined, strain in the rest of the garlic liquor.
You will finish up with a delicate, light, cream-coloured soup. Serve with crispy crutons, or hot toast, and grated Parmesan cheese. The strange thing is that when the garlic is cooked properly, it will loose it's raw, pungent flavour, and take on a more delicate twist. And yes, you do need to use a whole garlic head. Trust me on this one...
