Sopa de Ajo

A rustic soup where fried garlic infuses oil stained red by smoked paprika. The bread soaks up the broth until tender, while the poached egg adds creaminess to the heart of the bowl.

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 446
• Protein: 23 g
• Carbs: 29 g
• Fat: 25 g

Ingredients

• 8 piece Garlic ( thinly sliced )
• 200 g Country bread ( stale, cut into pieces )
• 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 100 g Serrano ham ( diced small )
• 1 tbsp Smoked paprika
• 1.2 L Mineral water
• 4 piece Egg ( whole )
• 1 pinch Fleur de sel
• 1.2 L Chicken broth

Instructions

1. Brown the garlic

   In a pot, heat the olive oil. Brown the garlic slices until they are golden and fragrant. Be careful, if the garlic browns too much, it becomes bitter.

2. Toast the bread and ham

   Add the serrano ham and the country bread. Sauté for a few minutes so the bread soaks up the flavored oil and begins to brown slightly.

3. Dust and deglaze

   Off the heat, add the smoked paprika. Stir vigorously, then immediately pour in the chicken stock to stop the spice from burning. Season with fleur de sel.

4. Simmer

   Bring to a boil then lower the heat. Let it simmer gently. The bread should break down slightly to bind and thicken the broth.

5. Poach the eggs

   Crack the eggs gently one by one directly into the soup. Cover and cook until the white is opaque but the yolk is still runny.

Chef's tips

• The bread must be stale, ideally 2 or 3 days old, to avoid turning into a shapeless mush.
• Never boil the paprika dry; it burns in a second and ruins everything with its bitterness.

Storage

Keeps for 2 days in the fridge without the eggs. Reheat gently in a saucepan.