Garlic soup with poached eggs

I was very excited to find out that Summer Fest is continuing on beyond the original schedule - continuing well into the fall in fact. This event has been so perfect for the theme of my blog, and I love the challenge of exploring a different vegetable/fruit each week. This week's theme is garlic. Garlic is something that I use all the time, but it is rarely the central focus of a dish. I thought about roasting it, or making garlic bread, but decided instead to try something completely new - garlic soup. You might think this sounds crazy, especially if you are imagining the pungent flavor of raw or quickly cooked garlic. But garlic cooked slowly is an entirely different thing. It becomes mellow and warm, and seriously, make this soup next time you're stuck inside on a rainy day. It is just so good. Think poached eggs on toast taken to a totally new level. In spite of the whole head of garlic in there, it doesn't taste garlicky - it just tastes comforting and delicious. The bread soaks up the broth while still retaining a bit of crunch, and when you cut into the egg, the yolk flows out and blends with the soup. And don't worry if you don't know how to poach an egg - I had never really done it before this, but I just followed the recipe instructions and they came out great!

Garlic soup with poached eggs
Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook
Serves 4

3 tbs olive oil
1 medium head garlic (about 2 inches in diameter), cloves peeled and thinly sliced (a mandoline helps with this)
8 baguette slices, each about 1/2-inch thick (I used a ciabatta baguette, which was great)
4 cups chicken stock or broth (low-sodium)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
4 large eggs
Salt
Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Heat oil over low heat in a deep 10-inch skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Increase heat to medium and add bread slices to the skillet. Toast bread, turning once, until golden brown, about 4 minutes total. Divide toasted bread slices among four large soup bowls.

Add chicken stock, red pepper flakes, and sliced garlic to skillet and bring to a simmer. Break 1 egg into a small cup and slide into stock. Repeat with remaining 3 eggs, spacing them apart in the skillet. Poach eggs at a bare simmer until the whites are cooked, but the yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to soup bowls and sprinkle with salt. Ladle broth on top and garnish with cilantro (the cilantro actually makes a difference, so don't skip this, unless you are a cilantro hater).