Garlic Soup
Garlic soup is known by many different names in Spain. At Meson Candido, a Segovia restaurant situated appropriately in the shadow of the celebrated Roman aqueduct, the soup is called ''Sopa Castellana Siglo XV'' (15th-century Castilian soup). A specialty of the house, this sopa de ajo included (the recipe in Spanish was on the back of the large menu) small chunks of ham, strips of day-old toasted bread and eggs lightly beaten to form a crusty brown surface covering after a three-minute oven roasting.
Garlic Soup (four servings)
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves peeled garlic
4 thin slices day-old crustless bread
4 cups chicken or beef broth
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
A NOTE ON MEASUREMENTS
We work with chefs from all around the world, which is why we include both imperial (cups/ounces) and metric (grams) measurements. To achieve best results, we highly recommend that you utilize a kitchen scale and follow the metric measurements when possible.
Split garlic cloves in half. Cut bread to bite size. Place garlic and bread in hot olive oil in a skillet, turning as they become golden. Mash softened garlic and half the bread together in mortar with pestle; add paprika, salt and pepper.
Add to broth; bring to boil; simmer for 10 minutes. Lower eggs, one at a time, into simmering broth until they are poached - yolks firm, whites entirely white.
Pour liquid into earthenware bowls: To the surface of the soup add the remaining bread and center an egg in each bowl.