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Sometimes it’s easy to overlook the small treasures in front of you when you’re longing for something that’s just out of reach. For me, as winter drags on, I can’t wait for the spring vegetables to arrive but I found my favorite garlic Rose du Lautrec that I grew last year. I love Rose du Lautrec garlic and have been hoarding it. It is perfect for this soups’ satiny texture. The addition of poached eggs makes it lavish; of course, the soup is delicious on its own. Include a baguette drizzled with your best extra virgin olive oil and you’ve created an early spring delight.
The delicate flavor of saffron in this soup is addictive. The saffron should be alluring and in the background. Saffron is incredibly flavorful in small doses and it’s easy to use too much which will give it a medicinal taste.
CREAM OF GARLIC & SAFFRON SOUP
Brian Glover’s creamy soup is perfect served as a dinner party starter or as a tasty and light supper
INGREDIENTS
- good pinch saffron threads
- 85g butter
- 3 large heads green garlic , outer skin removed and roughly chopped
- 2 medium onions , sliced
- 2 sticks celery , chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp dry sherry
- 1.2l chicken or vegetable stock
- 3 tbsp risotto or long grain rice
- 142ml carton double cream
- lemon juice
- crisp croûton , to serve
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1
Soak the saffron in 2 tbsp hot water for 10 minutes. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the garlic (and its skin), onion, celery and bay leaf to the pan, stir to coat in the butter, then cook very gently, covered, for about 15-20 minutes. The garlic and onions should be very soft and tender but not at all browned, so keep the heat low.
STEP 2
Uncover and add the sherry, raise the heat and bring to the boil then add the stock, saffron and its liquid, 1 tsp salt and a good grinding of fresh black pepper. Bring to the boil, stir in the rice and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the rice is just cooked. Fish the bay leaf out and discard.
STEP 3
Liquidise the soup then sieve back into the pan (this gets rid of any bits of skin). Pour in the cream and reheat until hot. Adjust the seasoning adding a little lemon juice to taste if liked and thin with a splash of milk if too thick. Serve sprinkled with croûtons. Buy saffron from here
Keywords: saffron , soup, cream soup
