Aïgo bouïdo (French Garlic Soup) 3 Soups Under 1 Hour
Use the base recipe to create 3 exciting garlic soups with robust flavor and plenty of health benefits.
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic separated and unpeeled
- 8 cups water
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon sage powdered
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme dried
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs parsley plus more for garnish
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
Yolk Emulsion
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Suggested Sides
- 1 loaf French baguette cut into rounds and toasted
- 1 cup Swiss or Parmesan Cheese grated
Instructions
Blanch garlic for easy peel
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Boil the garlic cloves for 30 seconds. Take them out and peel them under cold water.
Garlic Broth
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In a soup pot, add 8 cups of water, peeled garlic cloves, salt, pepper, whole cloves, sage, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and olive oil, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.
Make Yolk Oil Emulsion
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In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they are thick, about 1 minute. Then beat in the olive oil, a few droplets at a time, as if you were making mayonnaise.
Combine yolk mixture to soup
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Add the yolk mixture to the soup tureen and whisk in a ladleful of hot garlic broth a little at a time, so the yolks don't scramble.
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Then strain the rest of the soup into the tureen. Use the spatula to press the garlic through the mesh sieve and stir the garlic puree into the soup.
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Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve right away with toasted bread and cheese.
Recipe Notes
Variations:
Garlic Soup with Poached Egg (Soupe a l'Oeuf, Provençale) is a wonderful addition to your French aïgo bouido. It adds flavor, texture, and protein too.
Make the soup as outlined above but do not add the egg yolk and olive oil liaison.
Ladle 2 inches of the clear garlic broth into a small saucepot and bring to a light boil. Swirl the soup and gently drop the raw egg into the center of the vortex. Poach the egg for 4 minutes and take it out with a slotted spoon or spider. Rest it on a folded paper towel until ready to serve.
To serve, place the poached egg on a toasted round of French bread and ladle the soup around it. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!
Garlic Soup with Saffron and Potatoes (Soupe a l'Ail aux Pommes de Terre) is another tasty variation.
Like with the poached egg version, do not add the yolk and oil emulsion to the soup. Strain the soup and return it to the soup pot. Add 3 cups of diced waxy potatoes (Yukon Golds) and a large pinch of saffron to the soup and simmer for 20 minutes.
Always remember to taste the soup and correct the seasoning as needed.
Serve the saffron, potato garlic soup with toasted French baguette rounds and Swiss cheese.