Garlic Soups

A number of French provinces have their own versions of soupe à l’ail, with slight variations, but in spirit virtually the same. Typically, a broken-up head of garlic is simmered in water until it softens, and the soup is strained and poured over a chunk of crusty bread. When the garlic is worked hard through the strainer, the garlic pulp adds a creamy body to the soup, but if the soup is just strained, it becomes a sort of tea, a tonic for the weary or sick. Some recipes call for flavoring the soup with bay leaves and thyme, others sage. I sometimes use fresh marjoram. In one version, a soupe à l’ail from the Auvergne, a slice of toast is rubbed with a garlic clove and dribbled with olive oil (like a Tuscan bruschetta), water is poured over it, and the serving is sprinkled with grated cheese. Some recipes call for chicken broth; others, more frugal, suggest using the cooking water from beans. In some regions, such as the Béarn, they add eggs or egg yolks and a dash of vinegar.