Diet Water - Recipe {Bread Garlic Soup}

If you don't like:
a) garlic
b) smoked paprika
c) olive oil
d) bread
e) all of the above

then:
this post is not for you.

About a month ago I wrote a bit about comfort food, the post and the photo headlining it had a lot of people asking for my soup recipe. Well, time has passed and I finally had all the right ingredients perfectly in place to make my soup. If you love heavy and hearty soups-- even in the heat of summer, then you'll probably enjoy this recipe. If you can eat a head of garlic in one sitting, then you'll most likely enjoy this recipe. If you are me, &your four favorite things in the whole entire world are: garlic, tomatoes, bread, and smoked paprika, then: you most definitely will enjoy this recipe &are probably sitting around drooling at the thought-- even at midnight after having two bowls. Again, be warned: this is a heavy &rich soup &it is like having a garlic festival in your mouth.

Ingredients: 

Olive oil. One package cherry or grape tomatoes. Garlic (at least one head of it). One onion. Basil. Oregano. Stale loaf of bread (I use sourdough). Vegetable stock (freshly made, liquid stock, or powder). Sweet smoked paprika. Salt. Pepper. Optional: chili flake &tomato puree (about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup). 

Soup:

First prepare your tomatoes: wash, dry, place in oven safe dish. Mix with slices, pieces, chucks, whatever of garlic--- about 4 to 5 cloves, basil too. Cover in generous amounts olive oil, &lots of salt. Make sure all the tomatoes are nicely coated and place in 450 degree oven until roasted. 

Slice onion. Saute in olive oil. 

While sauteing your onion: chop your garlic--- lots of it. &herbs.

Once onion is tender add 1 to 1.5 heaping tsps of smoked paprika. Stir. 

Add garlic. Stir. Saute. 

Add chopped oregano &basil. Stir. 

(Dried is fine too. Last time I used dried oregano. This time, I luckily had both herbs growing outside. If you can use fresh: do it.)

Time to add the stock. Honestly, I'm not sure how much I added. Probably around 5 cups. Add a cup or two at a time and taste test to see how potent it is. You want it to be very garlicky and paprika-y, but not incredibly overwhelming. 

Add roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, &accompanying oil. I also added chili flake to add more heat: totally optional. Stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Also optional: tomato puree. I had some leftover from last nights dinner. I added 1/4 cup to 1/2 a cup. The soup does incredibly well without it, but I had it, &I could live off sauce, so I added it for an extra level of goodness. 

Add bread. &Choose your liquid to bread ratio. This batch was extra "bready", my last batch was more stocky. It really depends how hearty you prefer it. I usually prefer it on the "bready" side :)

Last time: I actually grated a whole raw clove of garlic in the soup too. This time, it wasn't necessary. Sorry extra garlic friend, see you in compost heaven. 

Indulge.

HERE is the picture of the soup I took from today, but the old one is so much prettier isn't it? That's what happens when your baby wakes up forcing you to sit on the floor next to the crib to eat your lunch :)