SOUPE A L'AIL / CREAMY GARLIC SOUP

SOUPE A L'AIL / CREAMY GARLIC SOUP image

Yield 4-6 people

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup whole, peeled garlic cloves
1 small yellow onion, peeled & diced
1 cup potato, peeled & diced
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups half & half
salt & white pepper to taste

Steps:

Melt butter with olive oil in a 5 quart heavy-bottomed non-reactive pot over medium heat. (I prefer enameled iron for even heat conduction.) Add whole garlic cloves and onions. Saute over medium to medium-low heat for 15-25 minutes. Stir often. Cook until garlic and onions are soft and light golden brown. Cook slowly to develop the sweetness of the garlic. Add the chicken broth and the potato. Bring soup to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potato is fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully pass the soup through a food mill. A food processor or blender will work, but will not give you the same texture, because the food mill removes the fibrous parts of the garlic, while a process chops them up and they remain in the soup. Return soup to heavy bottom pot. Heat just to boiling over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low, add half and half and heat, stirring often, until warmed through. Taste for seasoning and add salt and white pepper to taste. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with a chiffonnade of tangy greens, like arugula or mesculin.