SOPA DE AJO (HOT GARLIC SOUP)

Prep Time: 45 Minutes
Yields: 6–8 Servings

Comment:
Hot garlic soup is a tradition not only in Spain, but also in Italy and southern France. This simple soup is always made with eggs to add protein to the dish. In order to serve the egg perfectly poached, the soup should be eaten immediately after poaching.

Ingredients:
24 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
6 (6-inch) French breads, cubed and divided
1 tbsp paprika, divided
1 tbsp granulated garlic, divided
½ cup tomato sauce
2 quarts chicken stock
1 bay leaf
salt and black pepper to taste
6–8 whole eggs
¼ cup chopped parsley

Method:
Remove eggs from refrigerator and set aside. In a 2-gallon, heavy bottomed pot, add half of the olive oil and all of the garlic. Bring oil to 190°F. Poach garlic, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until soft. Gradually increase heat until temperature reaches 210°F and garlic is lightly browned on the edges only. Remove garlic immediately and set aside. Add half of the French bread cubes to the hot flavored olive oil. Sprinkle with half of paprika and granulated garlic and stir fry 3–5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove bread and set aside. In the same pot, heat remaining oil, sauté remaining bread cubes with the rest of the paprika and granulated garlic until golden brown. Remove bread and add to previous batch then set aside. In the bowl of a food processor, combine poached garlic and toasted bread cubes. Pulse 1–2 minutes or until bread forms into a paste then set aside. In the same heavy bottomed pot, combine tomato sauce, chicken stock and bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer, whisk in bread paste and cook 15–20 minutes. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Turn off heat and crack eggs into boiling soup, allowing them to poach for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove poached eggs and place in 6 soup bowls. Top each egg with hot broth and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.