Cuban Garlic Soup Sopa De Ajo Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S SPANISH GARLIC SOUP (SOPA DE AJO)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Spread French bread onto the prepared baking sheet and drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top; gently stir to coat bread.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Cook and stir garlic in hot oil until just golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add ham; cook and stir until heated through, about 1 minute. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of paprika and cook for 1 minute more. Pour bread into pot and toss to coat with hot oil mixture.
• Pour chicken broth into bread mixture; add cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and stir in parsley.
• Crack each egg into a small bowl or cup. Make 4 depressions in the bread on top of the soup with a spoon. Slowly pour an egg into each depression. Cover the pot with a lid and cook until egg whites are firm and yolks are thick but not hard, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and spoon an egg on top.

SOPA DE AJO (GARLIC SOUP)

Steps:

• Cut the white bread into cubes. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the bread cubes in it until golden brown. Add the garlic and let it color a little. Season with the paprika powders and salt and pour on the meat stock. Cover and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes. Fill 4 earthenware bowls with soup. Carefully slip 1 egg into each bowl and leave to cook in a preheated oven at about 390 degree F for around 10 minutes. Serve the soup very hot.

CUBAN GARLIC SOUP (SOPA DE AJO)

Steps:

• In an 8-quart stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bread and saute until the cubes just begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, 1 minute.
• Using a wooden spoon, mash the garlic and bread together. Add tomatoes, paprika, bay leaf, chicken broth and sherry. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, add about 3 Tablespoons of the hot soup to the egg yolks, beating constantly to temper them. Add yolk mixture to the soup, whisking constantly and quickly until smooth. Add unbeaten egg whites to soup in stockpot in a steady stream while whisking quickly until all are mixed. Return soup to heat to warm.
• Remove and discard bay leaf, garnish with parsley if desired and serve.

CASTILIAN GARLIC SOUP - SOPA DE AJO

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the garlic and saute until golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates, about 30 seconds. Add the Spanish sweet paprika and saute for 1 minute.
• Add the bread and pour in the chicken stock. Stir together and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes.
• Add the eggs and stir with a spatula to fold them into the soup. The eggs will form long strands, almost like noodles. Simmer for 2 minutes and add salt to taste. Sprinkle parsley and serve.

CASTILIAN GARLIC SOUP (SOPA DE AJO)

Steps:

• In a heavy soup kettle or a 2-quart saucepan , gently cook the garlic in the olive oil over low heat until the cloves are thoroughly softened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not let the cloves get brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Stir the red chili pepper into the hot oil in the pan, then add the stock and sherry. Bring to a simmer while you stir in the cumin and saffron.
• Use a fork to crush the tender garlic cloves to a paste into the soup. Taste and add salt if necessary. Cover the soup and leave to simmer very gently for about 15 minutes.
• While the soup cooks, toast the bread slices. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub over the toasted slices.
• If you wish, add the eggs by breaking each egg in turn into a ladle and lowering it into the soup. Stir ladle to break up the eggs. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of cheese and a slice of the bread.