Young garlic & bread soup

Sopa de ajos tiernos y pan

Stale bread has many uses in a Spanish kitchen, as an ingredient in a hearty soup being one of the most common. I’ve taken this traditional poor man’s meal and added leeks, young garlic, jamón and a poached egg to lift it to new culinary heights. You could also try chorizo or morcilla sausage, sautéed capsicum (pepper), wilted spinach and boiled quail eggs.

SERVES 4

1 large leek

1 small bunch young garlic (5–6 stems)

olive oil, for frying

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

5 slices Spanish ham (jamón), diced

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1.5 litres (52 fl oz/6 cups) vegetable stock

3 large slices of day-old rustic white bread

FOR THE POACHED EGGS

4 free-range eggs

2 tablespoons white vinegar

Wash the leek and young garlic well under cold running water, then dry with paper towels. Cut off the root ends and slice thinly into rounds. Heat a large dash of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the leek, young garlic and salt for 5 minutes, or until soft.

Add the ham to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Stir through the paprika and cook for no more than 1 minute. Add the stock, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. When boiling, add the bread and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for a few minutes then adjust the seasoning if necessary. Turn off the heat, cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, to poach the eggs, almost fill a large saucepan with cold water. Add the vinegar, and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a soft boil and crack in the eggs. Poach for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Remove the poached eggs from the cooking water with a slotted spoon and place one on top of each serving of soup. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.