Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Base Aromatics
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, room temperature
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, sliced thin
The Garlic
- 3 garlic heads, cloves separated and peeled
Liquid & Herbs
- 1500 ml water
- 5 fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 2 bay leaves, dried
- 10 black peppercorns, whole
- 10 g sea salt
Finishing
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 10 g fresh parsley, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 133 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 998 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 241 mg
- Calcium
- 90 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 21 mg
- Phosphorus
- 64 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 18 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 20 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 50 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.09 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 444 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the garlic by separating the heads into cloves. Peel them carefully to keep the cloves whole. A quick way is to crush the head slightly to separate, then blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen skins.
In a heavy pot over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the diced onion, sliced celery, and a pinch of salt. Sweat the vegetables for 8-10 minutes until they are translucent and soft, but not browned.
Add the peeled whole garlic cloves to the pot. Stir gently to coat them in the oil and aromatics. Cook for 2-3 minutes just to wake up the garlic oils, ensuring they do not take on any color.
Pour in the water (or vegetable stock). Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns. Increase heat to bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce to a very low simmer.
Cover the pot partially with a lid and simmer gently for 40-45 minutes. The garlic cloves should become completely tender and creamy, resembling soft butter when pressed.
Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot, ensuring each bowl gets plenty of the soft, sweet garlic cloves.
Chef's Notes
- The cooked garlic cloves lose their pungency and become surprisingly sweet. Encourage diners to smash them onto crusty bread or eat them whole.
- For a clearer consommé style, strain the solids out completely, but I recommend keeping the garlic for the full experience.
- If you are not strictly vegan, a parmesan rind simmered in the broth adds incredible umami depth.
- This is an excellent base for a poaching liquid; try poaching tofu or delicate vegetables in it for the last 5 minutes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Flavors deepen over time. Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without garnish. Garlic texture may become slightly softer upon thawing.
Reheating: Gently warm on the stovetop over medium heat.
Troubleshooting
Broth tastes bitter or acrid
Cause: The garlic was burned or browned too darkly during the initial sauté step
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Burnt garlic permeates the liquid. You must restart.
Prevention: Keep heat low (medium-low) and stir constantly when adding garlic; do not let it turn brown
Broth is too thin or watery
Cause: Natural result of a broth-based soup without starch thickeners
Fix: Mash 5-6 of the soft garlic cloves and stir them back into the broth to emulsify slightly
Prevention: Accept the style, or use vegetable stock instead of water for body
Cultural Context
While garlic is often used as a background note in Western cooking, this dish celebrates it as a vegetable in its own right. It draws inspiration from Spanish 'Sopa de Ajo' (Garlic Soup) and French garlic confit traditions, focusing on the restorative properties of alliums which have been used in folk medicine for centuries to combat colds.
