Creamy Roasted Garlic Soup

This is one of those dishes you approach with a little bit of uncertainty. I really like garlic and I love roasted garlic (grilled even more, mmm), but when I saw a soup made from garlic, and with almonds and orange on top of that, I was a bit skeptical. I wasn't entirely sure we would like it. Luckily, it turned out to be delicious. Really delicious, in fact. It tastes a little different, unusual, slightly sweet, fresh, creamy, tasty and very aromatic. This soup is perfect for a get-together with friends, as an appetizer or a light lunch. It tastes great both warm and cold, and it looks very sunny, too.

Creamy roasted garlic soup

Jamie Oliver writes that he doesn't remember exactly how he came up with the idea for this soup. He had some garlic, pieces of focaccia and almonds, and decided to put them together. Sounds so simple, doesn't it? To make the soup a bit more interesting, Jamie suggests adding a little more sherry vinegar. You can also add green grapes.

Directions:

Place the unpeeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet and put them in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for half an hour. Roast until the garlic is completely soft. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion. Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a pot and sauté the onion over low heat for about 10 minutes, until soft. Add the cream and stock, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Take the garlic out of the oven and let it cool just enough to handle, then squeeze out the flesh by pressing firmly from one end. Using a whisk, stir the garlic flesh into the simmering soup.

Toast the almonds in the oven until lightly browned.

Remove the crust from the ciabatta, tear it into small pieces and add it to the soup. Stir in the vinegar and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the almonds and blend the whole soup well. Season with salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls. Garnish with the orange, cilantro and mint leaves, drizzle with a few drops of olive oil and serve.

Enjoy!

Source: "Jamie's Kitchen" by Jamie Oliver