Roasted Garlic Soup

Method

Whenever Anthony and Leslie Balassone of Calico Restaurant serve this soothing soup, it meets rave reviews.

• 2 heads garlic
• Olive oil, as needed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 pounds baking potatoes, medium sized
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• Croutons to garnish
• Thyme leaves to garnish

To roast the garlic, begin by preheating the oven to 300ºF. Generously coat the garlic with the olive oil. Roast the garlic in a heat-resistant pan such as a cast-iron skillet until the pulp is soft, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pulp and reserve.

Sauté the onions in a small amount of olive oil until they are soft. Add the reserved garlic and sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve.

Wash, but do not peel, the potatoes. Cut them into a medium (1/3-inch) dice, and add to the pot. Add the chicken stock, thyme, black pepper, and the garlic and onion mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are very tender.

Purée the contents of the pot in a blender in batches and strain to make it smooth.

When ready to serve, bring the soup to a boil. Add the cream, and season with salt and pepper. Garnish the soup with croutons and thyme leaves.

Yield

6 servings