A Recipe From "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" NOLA Edition

Susan Spicer's Cream of Garlic Soup

The secret to this soup, a luscious puree of caramelized garlic and onions thickened with French bread, is patience. I originally developed it at Savoir Faire. At the time I had a boyfriend who frequently traveled to Mexico. He would rave about sopa de ajo—a broth flavored with garlic and egg—and it sounded so earthy and scrumptious that I decided to try to make it.

My approach to recipe development typically involves looking up several versions of a dish, then taking what I like from each of those recipes. That's exactly how this soup was created. I trained with French chefs, so a puree leapt to mind. Then I read that in Latin countries soups are often thickened with bread. One version relied on fish stock, but I thought chicken stock would be more universally appealing. So I stirred all my ideas together, my mentor Daniel gave it his enthusiastic blessing, and my first true culinary creation was born.

When we initially started making this soup, my dishwashers had to peel 10 pounds of garlic at a time. Thankfully, these days at Bayona, we buy peeled garlic by the gallon. In order to develop the proper deep, rich flavor, it's essential to take your time cooking the garlic. You need to stir the mixture a lot over low heat and wait until the onions and garlic get very dark and caramelized. I love garnishing this soup with tiny croutons that provide a crunchy contrast to the silky body.

2 Tbs butter (no substitutes)
2 Tbs olive oil
6 cups peeled and sliced onions (about 2 pounds)
2 cups peeled but not chopped garlic cloves
1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
7 cups Chicken Stock, preferably homemade
1 Bouquet Garni made. with parsley stems, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf
3 cups stale French bread, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
Salt and pepper

1. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn a deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Add the thyme, 6 cups Chicken Stock, and Bouquet Garni and bring to a boil Stir in the bread cubes and let simmer for 10 minutes, until the bread is soft. Remove the soup from heat and cool for 10 minutes.

2. Remove the Bouquet Garni and puree the soup in a blender (in batches, if necessary), until completely smooth. Return the soup to the pot and heat to the desired temperature Whisk in more Chicken Stock if the mixture is too 11 thick Add half-and-half or cream until the soup reaches the texture of a clas¬sic cream soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. If the bottom of the pot gets sticky while you're cooking the onions and garlic, add a little water and stir to dissolve.

Servings: 8