French Comfort Food

You might think it would be pate or something, but as comforting as it is to eat chunks of baguette with a schmear of pate, it's a garlic soup instead. It originated in Provence and its name there is "aigo bouido" or "boiled garlic soup."

I love garlic for its taste and healing properties. I had a lovely cream of garlic soup at the now-defunct Kip's, El Segundo, and when I came across this recipe, I tagged it.

AIGO BOUIDO
1 large head of garlic, split into cloves which are then cut in thin slivers - about 3/4 cup of garlic
6 fresh sage leaves, 2 bay leaves, 2 large sprigs of thyme, tied together in cheesecloth tied with kitchen string. Doesn't matter how it looks, it gets thrown out anyhow.
3 cups water
3 cups chicken broth
3 large egg yo9lks
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Put the water and broth together in a suitable pot, add the spices in their little bag and garlic and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 30 minutes
Remove the bouqet of spices and throw it away
In a separate bowl, mix the three egg yolks with the Parmesan, beating well. Add a bit of the soup and mix well. when the egg yolk mixture is thin enough, gently pour it into the simmering broth. Whisk well and take the pot off of the fire so you don't curdle the eggs.
Fill a bowl, add a dash of olive oil and eat!