Hangover Soup

• 2 large heads garlic
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 sprigs parsley
• pepper, to taste
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 3/4 cup uncooked orzo pasta or alphabet pasta or other small shell pasta
• 3 egg yolks
• 6-8 whole wheat bread croutes
• 4-6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese or monterey jack cheese, shredded
• finely minced fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced, for garnish (optional)

In a large stock soup pot combine the garlic, stock, cloves, sage thyme, and parsley. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and let simmer gently, uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes. Strain the soup, pressing down the solids with the back of a wooden spoon to extract most of the garlic from the peels. Scrape garlic purée from the underside of the strainer into the broth. Discard the garlic peels and the spent herbs.

Add the tomato or V8 juice to the strained soup and bring it to a boil. Drop in the pasta and let it cook until done – 5 minutes for alphabets and 8-10 minutes for the larger shapes.

Meanwhile beat the egg yolks in a small bowl.

Put a croûte in each soup bowl and top with a handful of grated cheese.

When the pasta is done, ladle out a little of the hot soup into the beaten egg yolks. Whisk together, and then whisk this mixture into the soup pot. The soup should thicken almost immediately. Remove the pot from the heat, and ladle the soup over the cheese-covered croûtes. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of parsley and/or cilantro, and top with a few slices of ripe avocado. Enjoy!

Yield: 6 servings

from Soup & Bread by Crescent Dragonwagon