What good cook doesn’t have at least 4 cloves of garlic in their pantry at all times?  This is a very simple, yet surpising, dish with a lovely little egg cooked right in each bowl and hearty enough to stand on it’s own for lunch or a light dinner.  Add a bottle of Pinot Noir, some candles and a few breathmints and ramp up the romance.  May I suggest The Gypsy Kings as your background music….of course, I can!!! 

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 T. Olive Oil
  • 4 large garlic cloves, peeled
  • 4 slices French bread, about 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 T. Paprika
  • 1 Quart Beef Stock
  • 1/4 t. ground cumin
  • a pinch of saffron strands
  • 4 eggs
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
  1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Heat the oil in a alrge pan.  Add the whole garlic cloves and cook until golden; remove and set aside.  Fry the bread in the oil until it turns a golden brown on both sides; set aside.
  2. Add the paprika to the pan and fry for a few seconds.  Stir in the beef stock, cumin, and saffron.  Add the reserved garlic, crushing the cloves with the back of a wooden spoon, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 5 minutes.
  3. Ladle the soup into 4 ovenproof bowls and break 1 egg into each one.  Place a slice of fried bread on top of each egg.  Place the bowls onto a cookie sheet and put in the oven for 3-4 minutes until the eggs are set.  Remove from the oven…careful ~ those bowls are hot!  Sprinkle each portion with parsley and serve at once.
  4. You could also top with a little Manchego cheese.  I might even consider adding a few mussels to this dish…simply clean them and put into the soup just before you ladle it into the bowls.  They should open right up and create an amazing aroma.  Saffron and mussels, garlic and amore!!!  Enjoy!!

 

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