January 8, 2012 - Garlic Soup

January 8, 2012 and January 5,2012 – Garlic Soup

For Christmas I got two amazing Slovenian cookbooks from my darling Bro-Bro, so now I can further celebrate my cultural heritage via the kitchen.  It’s pretty epic. So on Sunday when I realized that my life had gone from go to stop…or let’s be honest it had never stopped, I decided to really make some Garlic Soup from one of my cookbooks.  I had made a modified version of it on Thursday but I wanted to try out some authenticity for Sunday's try. 

Garlic Soup – from Flavors of Slovenia

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chicken broth – I used store bought stock
• 6 to 8 cloves of garlic – check
• 1 bay leaf – check
• ¼ tsp dried sage – I used rosemary instead, thanks Internets for having a chart that tells me what can be subbed for various spices.
• ¼ tsp dried thyme – check
• ½ tsp salt – check
• Freshly ground pepper – check
• 2 eggs – I used egg substitute
• ¼ cup olive oil – check
• 1/3 cup Parm cheese – check
• 4 slices French bread – omitted
• Chopped parsley – omitted

Step 1: Put the broth/stock, garlic, and herbology in a pot and boil.  Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, covered.

Step2: While the soup simmers, grate the cheese, preferably using your awesome grater that your parents got you to show they love you.  This is the best idea.  Mix the cheese with the olive oil and eggs (which should be slightly beaten).

Step 3: Remove the soup from heat. Remove the bay leaf from soup. You can also remove the rest of the herbology if desired.

Step 4: When the soup has sufficiently cooled set it back on very low heat, drizzle the cheese/egg mixture into the soup while continuously stirring.  Continue to stir until thickened but before the eggs curdle.  (full disclosure, I’m pretty sure I curdled the eggs and I have no idea what that even looks like or means but maybe someday I’ll figure it out).

Step 5: Consume.

So I enjoyed this soup a lot.  I think maybe if I hadn’t curdled the eggs, it would have been better.  In Slovenia, this soup is used to cold and flus, which is fitting considering Sunday I was continuing to feel under the weathers. 

                                                                  Garlic Soup - yum!

As I said, on Thursday I made a modified version of this soup.  Instead of chicken stock, I used my last turkey stock, and I added strips of turkey to the soup while it boiled so I’d have more protein.  Honestly, if we’re being honest, and I prefer that we be honest, I liked the modified version better.  Also, the recipe calls for salt and pepper to taste, but I totally didn’t remember to do that in either modification so I’m pretty sure it’s up to discretion.

For this foodsperiment I’d give it a +5 for taste, a +5 for easy cleanup, -2 for me curdling eggs, +5 for cultural heritage, and +5 for a cure to illness! Happy Sperimenting!

                                                          Modified Turkey Garlic Soup!