Here is the recipe for Roasted Garlic Soup from “The Ultimate Cookbook” by Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarborough. This is a great book, please order it from your local bookstore.
Roasted Garlic Soup
Here’s a garlicky version of French onion soup, all the onions replaced by
garlic and their near kin, shallots. Double or triple the recipe for larger
meals or servings.
Makes 4 servings
4 garlic heads
8 medium shallots, peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups (1 quart) beef broth
1/4 cup brandy or cognac
2 teaspoons stemmed thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces Gruyere or Emmenthal
1. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the
oven to 400°F.
2. Slice 1/2 inch or so off the top of the garlic heads so that
all the cloves are exposed. Place them on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle
with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, and seal the packet closed. Roast in the
oven until the cloves are as soft as room-temperature butter, about 40
minutes.
3. At the same time, place the shallots in a small, shallow
baking dish; drizzle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil; and
roast until browned, caramelized, and even a little crunchy, stirring
occasionally, about 30 minutes.
4. Remove both the garlic and shallots from the oven; cool at
room temperature for 15 minutes.
5. Squeeze the soft pulp out of the garlic heads and into a large
saucepan. Roughly chop the shallots and add them to the pan. Stir in the
broth, brandy or cognac, thyme, salt, and pepper. Set the pan over the heat
and bring to a simmer.
6. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly for 45
minutes to blend and soften the flavors. To serve, grate about an ounce of
cheese into each of the bowls. Ladle the soup over the cheese.
