Hello garlic lovers! This Meatless Monday, I’m serving up Sopa de Ajo (garlic soup). The recipe comes from Howard Hillman’s book, “Great Peasant Dishes of the World.” While you’ll find many variations for Sopa de Ajo, this recipe is the basic version with traditional ingredients: water, stale white bread, olive oil, garlic, red pepper and salt. I love the simplicity of the basic recipe, redolent with garlic flavor. I’m one of the garlic lovers, you see. Of course, I’m referring to fresh garlic. As a rule, I stay away from garlic powder or other processed garlic. With fresh garlic easy to store and readily available, why bother with processed! Enjoy Sopa de Ajo with a green salad. Serves 4 Ingredients:
1 quart water4 slices slightly stale white bread¼ cup extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons minced garlic¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
What to do:
Boil the water.Trim the crust off the bread. Cut the slices into ½-inch cubes.Heat the olive oil over low heat in a wide-and-heavy bottomed 2- to 3-quart pot.Fry the garlic for 15 seconds, stirring constantly.Add the bread, raise the heat to low to moderate, and sauté the bread for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cubes are lightly brown. Stir constantly.Add the boiling water, cayenne, and salt. Simmer uncovered for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.
