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Saffron-flavored Garlic Soup with PotatoesSaffron-flavored Garlic Soup with Potatoes
January 7, 2021 | Laura
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✽ Recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. I | Julia Child ✽
Julia Child Recipe 186 | 342 recipes to go!
✽ Saffron-flavored Garlic Soup with Potatoes [Soupe à l'Ail aux Pommes de Terre], p. 48
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✽ Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. I was written by Julia Child who co-authored with Simone Beck & Louisette Bertholle and was published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1961.
✽ You can buy Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I which contains these recipes here. (affiliate link)
The purpose of this Julia Child section of my blog is to document my journey of learning how to cook. To show my successes, my failures, and what I learned along the way.
Since I didn't create these recipes (if only!), I do not post exact amounts of ingredients or word-for-word instructions. If any of these recipes spark your interest, I highly recommend you buy Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking (affiliate link). It's a great investment and learning tool and contains hundreds of classic recipes.
What you will find on my blog is:
✽ Butter Count & Cost Total
✽ Recipe Rating
✽ Answers to Questions about Recipe
✽ Fun Facts about Recipe or an Ingredient Used
✽ The Recipe Process
✽ Step-by-Step and Final Photos of Recipe
I hope that you enjoy reading my thoughts, learn something new, and leave inspired to try a new recipe. Bon appétit!
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Butter Count & Cost: Saffron-flavored Garlic Soup with Potatoes
✽ Butter Count: +0 TB
✽ Cost: $11.31 [~$1.62 per serving]
Check out the total Julia Child butter count & cost here!
→ Looking for a different Julia Child recipe? Here's a list of all of the completed and pending Mastering the Art of French Cooking recipes!
I need all of the garlic.
Welcome to the third and final garlic soup! I've been putting off the soups for awhile now because I blew through them at the beginning, and I wanted to save the last of them for later.
This week I decided it was a great time to make one since Texas is finally a little bit chilly! You may be familiar with the previous two garlic soups that I've made- the original one which has an egg yolk and olive oil liason mixed into at the end giving you a beautiful white creamy soup and the first variation which lacks the egg yolk but is topped with a delicious poached egg and crusty French bread.
This time around for the second variation we are increasing the value of this simple garlic soup by adding in some saffron and potatoes.
Saffron-flavored Garlic Soup with Potatoes: Rating
✽ LAURA'S RATING: 6
✽ BRIAN'S RATING: 6
While this soup wasn't even close to being life-changing, I couldn't help myself from finishing the entire bowl.
As with the previous two garlic soup recipes, despite the addition of an entire head of garlic, the garlic flavor was subtle. The olive oil really shined through here as well as the dried herbs. The pinch of saffron left this variation more yellow than the others and gave it a bit of an earthy flavor.
And if you're anything like me, the addition of potatoes always improves a dish. If I want a soup that will be raved about for days (looking at you, onion soup), I won't reach for this recipe. However, on a cold day this soup would be perfect especially if you have the sniffles. Did you know that garlic soup is thought to help fight off colds?
Oh and before I forget, that garlicky herby mash that gets left behind in your strainer.. spread it on some crusty bread. You can thank me later.
Saffron-flavored Garlic Soup with Potatoes: Questions
✽ Why is this soup not super garlicky despite the use of an entire head of garlic?
Garlic contains a sulfur compound called allicin which gives it that potent garlicky taste. What's really cool is that allicin is a product of a reaction between two other substances present in garlic called alliin and allinase (the enzyme). The reaction only occurs when the cells inside the clove are broken down meaning allicin is only present when you crush or cut the garlic.
Here's the deal though- when we heat the garlic, the enzymes that aid in that reaction are inactivated and allicin is destroyed. So when the garlic is boiled or sauteed, it's not going to be as 'in-your-face' as it would be if it was raw.
✽ Is this soup good leftover?
Yep! I actually liked this soup a bit more leftover. The flavors seemed to marry each other a bit more while hanging out in the fridge together overnight.
Looking for more Julia Child soup recipes to read about?
→ Check out all of the soup recipes that I've completed so far!
Fun Facts about Garlic
✽ What is garlic's scientific name?
Garlic's scientific name is Allium sativum. It's a bulbous flowering plant related to the onion, shallot, leek, and chive.
✽ Which country produces the most garlic?
China produces 76% of the world's supply of garlic.
✽ How long has garlic been around?
The use of garlic medicinally and culinary dates back thousands of years. In fact, preserved garlic was found in the Tutankhamun's tomb in 1325 BC!
How to Make Saffron-flavored Garlic Soup with Potatoes
✽ Step 1: Peel Garlic
This soup calls for an entire head of garlic. To make it easier to peel all of those cloves, drop them in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain, and rinse in cold water. The skins should practically come right off after this process.
✽ Step 2: Boil
The peeled garlic cloves go into a large pot with dried herbs, seasonings, and a few parsley sprigs.
The mixture will boil for half an hour and then be strained.
The garlic, seasonings, and parsley that get stuck in the strainer is SO GOOD. I squished it and slathered some on a piece of crusty bread. I couldn't stop eating it. Anyways, back to the soup.
✽ Step 3: Add Potatoes and Saffron
Diced potatoes and a pinch of saffron are added in, and it all just simmers a bit more until the potatoes are tender.
The cookbook recommends serving with French bread and grated Parmesan cheese. Overall, this is a pretty simple soup to make!
*This blog, Laura The Gastronaut, and this post were/are not endorsed or supported by Julia Child or The Julia Child Foundation.
Category: Julia Child, Soup Cuisine: French
Keywords: garlic soup recipes, julia child garlic soup, aigo bouido recipe, french garlic soup recipe
✽ Did you make this recipe too?
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More Soup Recipes:
✽ Onion Soup (nothing beats an authentic French onion soup)
✽ Soupe au Pistou (a delicious vegetable-filled tomato-based soup)
✽ Garlic Soup with Poached Eggs (this garlic soup but with a delicious poached egg added in)
→ Check out all of the completed Julia Child soup recipes!
✽ You can find this recipe and all the other Julia Child recipes I make in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I (affiliate link).
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. I was written by Julia Child who co-authored with Simone Beck & Louisette Bertholle and was published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1961.
✽ Check out my Julia Child Recipe Checklist to see a list of all my completed and pending recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking!
Bon appétit!
January 7, 2022 by Laura Ehlers
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