Feb 15 2008
Garlic and Anchovy Soup
Calvin was a sixth grader with a Mickey Mouse voice, hair 12 inches high (good for hiding pencils), a penchant for brightly colored pants and unrequited love for yours truly. Shortly before Valentines Day 1990, Calvin called to ask if I would be his girlfriend. I thanked him, but politely refused. When Valentines Day rolled around, it found Calvin sobbing his eyes out at the boy’s lunch table. My classmates spent the remaining part of the day aggressively trying to convince me to give this lovable nerd a chance. They were unsuccessful and I, the villain was left to walk home in tears.
That day seventeen years ago, I swore off Valentines Day for good, although my wishes were frequently ignored. When I was 15 my boyfriend gave me a giant balloon filled with glitter, strange candy, a bear and potpourri; resulting in one of the more embarrassing days I have ever had. At 18 there was cheap candy and sad flowers. Then at 21 there was annoyance coupled with exasperation over wishes ignored and tacky seasonal trappings received.
My husband and I started dating a week before Valentines Day six years ago. I knew he was the one immediately. That fact was confirmed on Valentines Day; when instead of chocolate he indulged me by sitting in a coffee shop* listening to me grouse about plastic cherubs and frilly greeting cards. Respecting what I wanted was the best Valentine I could have ever been given. So in honor of my anti-Valentine I have come up with this recipe for Garlic and Anchovy Soup.
I got the idea for this soup from the garlic bread my family made when I was a kid. We would brush a loaf of cracked wheat sourdough bread with minced garlic and melted butter or olive oil. The result was a tangy potent flavor that I still can’t get enough of. If the idea of a powerful garlic flavor frightens you, I recommend you allow the garlic mixture to caramelize before finishing the recipe for a mellow sweet flavor.
Garlic and Anchovy Soup
1 medium Walla Walla or Mayan Sweet onion, sliced
2 heads garlic, smashed and peeled
1/4 cup butter or olive oil
3-5 anchovy fillets
1 medium russet potato, rinsed and baked through, or 1 1/2 cups day old sourdough bread, crusts removed and cubed
1/4 tsp thyme leaves
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
Melt the butter over low to medium low heat. When butter is melted add in garlic, onion and anchovies and cook slowly over medium low heat until translucent
When the potato** has baked and cooled enough to touch, peel it and place in the blender. Add in the garlic mixture and 1 cup of the stock. Blend until smooth and return to the pan. Add in remaining stock, thyme and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
Serve with crostini and shavings of hard cheese to garnish.
* We can still be found sitting in a coffee shop on Valentines Day.
**If using sourdough instead of the potato, just add it straight into the blender.
Happy Valentine’s Day Phil and Erin!!!
Aloha, Jo
PS. No baby yet…..
we don’t make a fuss on V day either. I like the garlic soup idea.
Ah good to hear we are not alone in ignoring V day.
Mind you, we did get married on feb 13…. so we are all celebrated out by the next morning…lol
Potential problem: I think I’ve read before that the heat in garlic has been known to stir certain desires. But, then again, as long as only one of you is eating it, the other won’t want to go anywhere near you and your potent breath.
I might try this soup this weekend when Richard’s mom comes to visit. She loves garlic but it has been banned from her house by Richard’s garlic-dodging dad.
That’s such a sweet story! I used to despise V-day, whether I was involved or not. This year however I decided to celebrate it, mostly because I knew there would be no generic gifts and gestures, so it was a really sweet one.