Double Garlic Soup My Way: Green Garlic and Garlic Scapes

As you know I had a few Garlic Scapes this year from my garden so I went to the net to find out what to do with them. I did found a few recipes, but this one from the New York Times caught my attention - it is a double garlic soup made with Green Garlic (immature garlic bulb usually picked at the time the scapes are ready - you use a bit of the stalk too) and Garlic Scapes (New York Times recipe).

I read the recipe and decided to do it, but as usual I changed a few things - the result was a velvety deliciously smooth cream of soup with a mild garlic flavor. You need to try it!!! It is so easy - So here it is:

Ingredients:

• 4 to 5 big potatoes
• 1 green garlic clove
• 5 to 6 garlic scapes
• Fresh Thyme (2-3 sprigs)
• 1 stick of butter
• 4 cups of water
• Chicken stock cubes (enough to make 4 cups of chicken stock 0 read quantities from your usual brand)
•  Milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Nutmeg
• Splash of lemon

Peel and cut the potatoes into medium size cubes. Cut the garlic scapes into chunks - this soup will be blend into a cream, so do not spend too much time cutting things perfectly. Peel and chop the green garlic. Chop the thyme leaves.

Melt the butter in a soup pan. Add the Garlic Scapes and the Green Garlic and fry them a little (less than a minute). Add the potatoes, the water, thyme and the chicken stock cubes. Let it boil until potatoes are tender.

With a manual blender ( you can use a regular blender too), mix everything adding milk as you go to achieve the desire consistency (nice and smooth!!!). If you want you can strain the soup as this stage (particularly if your Garlic Scapes were a little woody). Put back on the stove and add salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg to taste. Put some lemon juice and you are done!.

Serve and enjoy!!