This recipe was featured in Garlic: The Stinkin’ Rose.
Nancy Dennis | Bartlett EC
This rich, velvety soup is so thick and luxurious it could pass as fondue. It begs to be sopped up with slices of crackly baguette. Feel free to adjust the amount of garlic to your taste; two bulbs might seem like a lot, but the roasting process results in a mellow flavor.
2 bulbs garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1½ cups grated Gruyere cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons cooking sherry
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice the tops off the garlic bulbs and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap them in foil and roast on a baking sheet 35–40 minutes or until the garlic is very soft. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves into a bowl and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, an additional 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine.
4. Whisk in the chicken broth, then the milk and cream. Simmer the mixture until thickened, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Add the grated Gruyere and stir until melted, and then stir in the salt, pepper, sherry and thyme.
Serves 4–6.
Cook’s Tip
For a thinner, more soup-like texture, double the amount of chicken broth.