If you and your family love garlic, this dish is one that you’ll be asked to make this dish again and again. This is my Roasted Garlic Soup Topped With Mushroom And Gruyère Cheese Crostinis.

Prep Time For Soup: 20 minutes
Cook Time For Soup: 1 hour
Total Time For Soup: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Equipment: 1 (6-quart) Dutch oven, 3 rimmed baking sheet pans, cheese grater, chef’s knife, foil, and parchment paper

Note: While the garlic is roasting, sautè the mushrooms and grate the Gruyere cheese. When the garlic is finished roasting, adjust the oven temperature for the Frenc baguette.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
8 heads of garlic, (reserve 2 heads for garlic oil)
1/4 cup garlic infused oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups of chicken stock, unsalted (substitute vegetable broth/stock)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish

Ingredients For Sautèed Mushrooms:
1-pint of cremini mushrooms, sliced, quartered if small (substitute white button mushrooms)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter, unsalted
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped (substitute 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme)
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients For Toasted Crostini:
1 loaf of French baguette, sliced on the bias (yields 16 slices)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Gruyère cheese, freshly grated
prepared sautèed mushrooms
*E.V.O.O.

Directions For Garlic Oil:
In a small saucepot, on med-low heat add 1/2 a cup of olive oil and 2 heads of garlic, cut in half lengthwise (cut lengthwise through the middle), face down into the oil. Bring the temperature up nice and slow, so that the garlic infuses with the oil. Simmer for 20 minutes. You DO NOT want the oil to boil. After 20 minutes turn the heat off and allow the garlic to continue to steep in the oil. Using a pair of tongs, remove the garlic heads. Reserve 1/4 cup of the garlic oil.

Directions For Roasted Garlic:
Preheat oven to 400-degrees F.
Peel most of the outer paper off the garlic bulb. Trim about 1/4-inch off the top off the garlic bulb. Do this for each of the six heads of garlic to expose the tops of the garlic cloves. Drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the exposed surface allowing the oil to seep down into the cloves. Season with Kosher salt, and pepper. Wrap the 6 exposed garlic bulbs in foil, place on a rimmed baking sheet pan, and bake for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, begin checking the garlic. The garlic is done when a center clove is completely soft when pierced with a paring knife. Roasting time may vary depending on the size of your garlic. Remove from the oven and let cool. Squeeze out the roasted garlic into a bowl.

Note: Even once soft, you have the option to continue roasting until deeply golden for a more caramelized flavor. Check the garlic every 10 minutes. Allow the garlic to cool then remove their skins. Roasted garlic can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Directions For Toasted Crostini:
Adjust oven temperature to 375-degrees F.
Slice the baguette at a 45-degree angle into 1/2 -inch thick slices. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the top surface of each slice of baguette bread lightly with the remaining garlic oil. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Place into the oven on the center rack. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the bread is golden.

Directions For Sautèed Mushrooms:
Preheat a large sautè pan on medium, add unsalted butter and olive oil. Once melted, add sliced mushrooms fresh thyme, and minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until mushrooms become lightly browned. Reduce the heat to low, sprinkle with Kosher salt and black pepper, stir through. Simmer for an additional 8 minutes. Turn heat off and set aside.

Directions For Roasted Garlic Soup:
In a large Dutch oven, on medium heat add the roasted garlic cloves along with 1/4 cup of the garlic oil. Mash the cloves into the oil. Add the all-purpose flour to that mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon, cook for 5 to 6 minutes until a dark *roux is achieved. Change to a large whisk, add 1 cup of the chicken stock, whisk to incorporate. Repeat until all the chicken (or vegetable broth/stock) has been used. Add the chopped fresh rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to warm (if you don’t have that setting remove from the heat), and cover.

Spoon a tablespoon of the sautéed mushrooms on each crostini and add 1 tablespoon of freshly grated Gruyère to each slice. Place back into the oven just long enough to melt the cheese.

To Serve:
Ladle the hot soup into a serving bowl. Arrange 2 slices of the Mushroom and Gruyère Cheese Crostinis on top of the roasted garlic soup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a drizzle of your best *E.V.O.O. This dish is one that you will be making again and again.

There you have it, my Roasted Garlic Soup Topped With Mushroom And Gruyère Crostinis.

Note: This recipe yields extra toasted baguette slices for extra Gruyère And Mushroom Crostinis.

*E.V.O.O. is an acronym for extra virgin olive oil.
*Roux: A roux is a cooked mixture of flour and fat (usually, butter) as a thickening agent in sauces and/or soups.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/