Creamy Garlic Soup with White Wine and Tiny Garlic Croutons

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Source: Dairy Hollow House Soup and Bread, Crescent Dragonwagon

Makes about 6 cups.

“No substitutions work. Make it just once in your life if you must, but make it right or don’t make it at all.” Crescent Dragonwagon

  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
  • 4 whole heads of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
  • Tiny Garlic Croutons (recipe follows)
  • 3 ½ cups Chicken Stock
  • ¼ cup dry, fruity white wine, such as Moselle
  • 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups heavy (whipping) cream
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Finely minced parsley, for garnish
  1. In a heavy 10-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Set aside 5 cloves of garlic for the croutons and add the remaining garlic to the skillet. Turn down the heat to very low and gently cook, stirring often, until the garlic is quite soft and only slightly colored, 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. While the garlic is cooking, make the Tiny Garlic Croutons.
  3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to a food processor, leaving as much butter as possible in the skillet. Add ½ cup of the stock and the wine to the food processor, and puree until absolutely smooth.
  4. In a medium-size saucepan, heat the remaining 3 cups of stock until hot.
  5. Reheat the butter remaining in the skillet over very low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1 or 2 minutes. Gradually add the hot stock, stirring to smooth any lumps. Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture is smooth and thick, 2 or 3 minutes.
  6. Return the mixture to the saucepan and add the garlic puree and 1 cup of the cream. Simmer gently over very low heat until the soup no longer has a raw flour taste, about 3 minutes.
  7. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks and the remaining ½ cup cream. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the soup, then pour the mixture into the remaining soup. Heat, stirring constantly, until hot and thick. Do not let it boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tiny Garlic Croutons

Makes 2 cups

  • 6 very thin slices homemade or Pepperidge Farm whole-wheat bread
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled and put through a garlic press

Remove crusts from the bread and cut the bread into tiny squares, no bigger than ¼ an inch. In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and cook, stirring frequently until browned and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a small bowl. Add the garlic and toss to combine.


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