Vegetables Recipes - Three Way Garlic Soup Recipe

Ingredients 

• 2 red onions, cut across into 1/2 inch rings

• 4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled

• 3 red peppers, halved and seeded

• 2 lb ripe plum tomatoes, halved horizontally

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 3/4-2 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock, preferably homemade

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

• garlic cream

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

• garlic croutons

Serves 6

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Method:

1. Preheat a hot broiler. Insert three wooden toothpicks horizontally into each of the onion slices to keep the rings in place. Place in a broiler pan along with the garlic cloves. Arrange the peppers, skin side up, and tomatoes in a second pan (or use one pan and broil in batches).

2. Trickle the olive oil over the onions and tomatoes. Broil for 10-20 minutes, turning the onions once, until the garlic feels soft and the other vegetables are slightly blackened. Remove each vegetable as it becomes cooked. Remove the toothpicks from the onions.

3. Squeeze the flesh from the garlic cloves and put in a food processor with the onions, peppers, and tomatoes. Include any blackened bits of skin, and scrape in the sticky juices from the broiler pan.

4. Process for about 2 minutes, then push the mixture through a sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid.

5. Pour into a saucepan, add the vinegar and enough stock to achieve your preferred consistency. Season to taste, and simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Pour the soup into bowls, swirl in some garlic cream, and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with garlic croutons.

Note: This soup of broiled garlic is served with garlic cream and croutons, but it is not as overpowering as you would expect. The cloves are cooked whole, which mellows and sweetens the flavor.