Garlic Dreams

A reader writes...

"Dear Peredur's Kitchen,

I have always prided myself on my good hygiene. I shower at least once a day, brush my teeth after every meal, and wear effective deodorant. This is my problem. I don't stink and when I walk into a room no one notices. I want to be noticed. I want to have a bold smell that will turn heads! Do you have a recipe that will help me?

Signed, Stinks Like A Rose"

Dear Stinks,

Boy, do I have the ingredient for you! This will not only turn heads, but it has also been known to help cure colds and has, in some cases, proven to be an aphrodisiac! I refer of course to garlic, and one of the best ways to fully experience this divine little bulb is by making a nice pot of Garlic Soup.

We start with a simple beef bouillon base. I have tried to get fancy and use other types of beef broth but nothing seems to work as well as just using plain old-fashioned bouillon cubes. Take a large pot or heat proof bowl and combine:

8 c boiling water

7 beef bouillon cubes

1/4 t fresh ground pepper

Stir to dissolve the cubes and set aside. In stock pot combine:

2 T butter

15-20 large cloves garlic, finely minced

2 T chopped fresh parsley

Saute over low heat stirring constantly until garlic is cooked through and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add:

1 T flour

Stir until slightly browned. Carefully pour in the beef broth and stir, scraping up all the garlic on the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high until soup nearly boils, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the soup is about half cooked, slice:

1 loaf French bread

into 1" thick slices. Toast the bread on both sides. Just before serving the soup, whisk soup while drizzling in:

6 egg yolks, beaten

To serve, ladle soup over toasted French bread topped with shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Garnish with parsley, if that's your thing. This recipe makes about 6 servings, which is just enough for 2 people at my house. In the event that, for some reason, you have soup leftover, it happens to be just as amazing and flavorful reheated!

There you have it, Stinks! Make a pot of this soup and you'll have garlic coming out of your pores! People will make room for you on the bus! Garlic lovers will follow you home!

Enjoy!