Roasted Garlic Soup

Equipment
Blender

Ingredients
8 heads of garlic
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil – plus extra
1 tbs butter
1/2 an onion – chopped
1 leek – white and light green part only – chopped
2 medium size potatoes
3 cups chicken or vegetables stock
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup croutons
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Preheat the oven 190 degrees Celsius. Prepare four squares of aluminium foil large enough to wrap two heads each of the garlic.  Slice the top 3 cms from each garlic head and place 2 heads in the centre of each foil square.  Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Carefully close the foil to enclose the garlic heads and place in a roasting pan, roast for 20 minutes or until the garlic is soft when squeezed. 

Meanwhile in a pot over a medium heat warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter, add the onion and leek and cook until soft.  Peel and dice the potatoes and add them to the pot to sauté for 3 minutes.  Add the stock and bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 7 minutes. 

Remove the garlic from the oven and set aside to cool.  Carefully squeeze the roast garlic from their skins into a bowl, be sure to remove any stray pieces of garlic husk that have fallen into the bowl.  Add the roasted garlic and milk to the pot and stir to combine.  Transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the parsley with the croutons.

Serve into four bowls and garnish with herb croutons, drizzle with olive oil and finish with a grinding of black pepper.

Serves 4

Degree of Difficulty 1