Garlic Soup – Sopa de Ajo

Click here to go to printable recipe: Garlic Soup

I had planned a turkey and trimmings menu for Canadian Thanksgiving, and started buying a few ingredients, such as bread for stuffing; I changed my mind along the way, and we enjoyed a baked ham meal instead, so I ended up with the loaf of white bread leftover.  The weather is getting cold, and a soup came to mind; I have shared soup recipes that use old bread, such as croutons for my Cream of Zucchini, but this garlic soup calls for bread as an important ingredient.

The original recipe came from Spain to Mexico during colonial times; El Gran Libro de la Cocina Mexicana* (Susana Palazuelos, Marylin Tausend, Ignacio Urquiza, editorial Patria, 1999) refers to garlic soup as being adopted first in the state of Guanajuato, and specifically, served at the house of Count Antonio de Obregón y Alcocer, owner of La Valenciana, which was the largest silver mine in the Spanish colonies in the late 1700s.  In this version of the soup, bread crumbs are fried and cooked in the broth, acting as a thickening agent.  

I was not sure whether my family and I would enjoy the texture, so for my recipe, I decided to cube the bread, and pre-toast in the oven:

Garlic cloves may have very different sizes, as seen in the photo below, left.  When weighed, I had 60 g (2.1 oz) for 16 cloves of sizes from small to large:

Garlic Soup – Sopa de ajo

Printable recipe: Garlic Soup

Ingredients (for four portions)

60 g (2.1 oz) garlic, between 16 and 20 cloves, depending on size; peeled
155g (1/3 lb) day-old bread; sliced, cut into cubes, and toasted, approx. 4 cups
2 eggs
5 cups broth or water
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional:  slice a few of the garlic cloves very thinly:

Warm up oil in a large pan over medium heat.

If using, fry sliced garlic (photo below, left), stirring constantly so it will not burn, until it turns just slightly brown and crispy, then transfer to a small bowl and reserve (photo below, right):

Fry the whole garlic cloves, stirring constantly and turning (photo below, left), until they change colour to a very light brown (photo below, right):

Remove pan from heat, leaving flavoured oil in it.  Transfer garlic cloves to a blender jar, and add one cup of broth (or water, photo below, left). Process until smooth (photo below, right):

Reserve.

Return pan with oil to the stove, over medium heat.  Add toasted bread, stirring and turning, to coat with the flavoured oil:

Transfer bread to a bowl and reserve.

Pour reserved blended garlic into the pan (photo below, left).  Bring to a simmer, scrapping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon (photo below, right):

Add the rest of the broth (or water), and bring to a boil again (photo below, left).  Crack eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork.  Swirl the hot broth with the wooden spoon, then slowly pour eggs into the pan (photo below, right):

The egg should cook into strings; season with salt and pepper, to taste, and continue stirring so the egg with not clump.  Turn off the heat, and serve soup immediately. 

To have soft bread in the broth, place a portion of toasted croutons in a soup bowl, then ladle soup on top, as shown below:

Top with some reserved fried garlic slices (if using):

Notice how the bread has absorbed a lot of the broth, becoming very soft and moist.  

For crispy bread, serve the soup first, then add croutons and garlic slices (if using) at the table, right before eating:

I liked the soft bread, and my husband preferred the crispy texture.  As for the sliced garlic, I liked the topping, but my husband did not, so he did not add any to his second helping (LOL).

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* El Gran Libro de la Cocina Mexicana was first printed in English in 1991 under the name “Mexico – The Beautiful Cookbook”, closely followed by the edition in Spanish in 1992.  In the preface, this wonderful book is described as a collection of two hundred and fifty recipes from all the corners of Mexico, illustrating the country’s rich history and culture.

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I am bringing my recipe to Full Plate Thursday #664 with Miz Helen @ Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

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I am also sharing my post at Thursday Favourite Things #632, with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

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I am joining Fiesta Friday #508  with Angie @ Fiesta Friday.

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I am sharing my recipe at What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link-Up #443 with Helen @ The Lazy Gastronome.