Daily Plate: Garlic Soup

It was a snowy day, and I’d been thinking about making garlic soup for a good week, and wow, I am so glad I did. We had it for dinner with a side of brussel sprouts that had been finished off with a little truffle oil and toasted walnuts. When you have soup, you usually need something to dip in it, so I warmed up some pita bread I dug out of the fridge. Some rustic whole grain bread would have been even better, but no way was I going out into the blizzard! Next time. This soup is provides a lot of protein and fiber and is a great for vegans and vegetarians as an alternative to cream or beef-broth-based soups.

Ingredients:

* 1- 2 tbsp of olive oil
* 2 heads garlic
* 1 small shallot
* 1 small sweet onion
* 1 can white cannelinni beans
* salt and white pepper to taste
* fresh thyme and/or a sprinkle of dried rosemary
* 3 cups vegetable broth

Directions:

* Peel the garlic and place the cloves in a roasting pan or dish. Coat with a tsp or so of olive oil and cover (or wrap in foil). Roast for about 40 minutes at 350.
* Add remaining olive oil to soup pan and heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the onion and shallot. Cook for about a minute.
* Add the beans and then the vegetable broth. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook about 20-30 minutes.

* When the garlic cloves are done, add them to the soup. Stir.
* Blend thoroughly with a hand mixer or blender. I used an immersion blender.
* Return to stove. Season with salt if desired, and pepper. Throw in some fresh thyme.

* Cover and cook over low for another 20 minutes or so.

Serves 2-4

(makes 2 large bowls or 4 small bowls)