The snowy autumn we’ve had so far has got me craving soup in a big way.  Well, that and cookies, but I’m pretty much always thinking about cookies!  🙂  I’m dreaming about the garlic that I planted just over a month ago, all buried under ice and soil.  I can hardly wait to harvest it next summer!  In the meantime, my bi-weekly CSA baskets always contain a beautiful purple bulb of garlic, so maybe it’s time to put one to good use.  In soup, of course!

Slow-Cooker Garlic and Potato Soup

1 whole head of garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, peeled and diced

1 tbsp unsalted butter

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

8 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Peel any extraneous paper from the garlic head, leaving the cloves intact.  Carefully trim away the very top of the garlic head with a sharp knife.  (Don’t cut off too much).  Place the garlic head on a small sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle the olive oil over top.  Cover tightly with the foil and roast in the oven for 45-50 minutes.  Remove the garlic from the oven, unwrap, and allow to cool to room temperature.  Once cool, the cloves should pop easily out of their paper sleeves when squeezed.  Place the cloves into the crock of the slow cooker.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add the shallot and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the shallot to the slow cooker.

Add chicken broth, bay leaves and diced potatoes to the slow cooker.  Mix well.  Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.  Carefully puree the soup using a hand blender (it will be very hot, so watch out!).  Add milk.  Cover and cook another 15 minutes, or until soup is heated through.  Add thyme and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with warm, thick slices of homemade bread or rolls.

(Garlic is A Lot on Your Plate’s Ingredient of the Month – hop on over there to see other submitted recipes!).

What are your favourite recipes using garlic?