Spicy Onion-Garlic Soup with Poached Eggs

By BobD

Before it became a staple on the menu at Two, David Gingrass created this soup in his home kitchen with the most basic pantry ingredients: onions, garlic, day-old bread and a hit of spicy cayenne pepper. To turn it into a soothing, one-dish meal, he cracks eggs into the soup and poaches them gently until they are soft and runny.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium sweet onion, cut into 1/8-inch dice
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 6 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
• Salt
• 4 ounces sourdough bread, crusts removed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (2 cups)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add two-thirds of the minced garlic and cook over high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the onion and paprika and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer the soup until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes. Add the cayenne pepper and season with salt.

Meanwhile, spread the bread cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and minced garlic. Season the cubes with salt and bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.

Crack the eggs into 4 small bowls. Bring the soup to a simmer over moderately low heat. Slide the eggs into the soup and simmer until the whites are firm and the yolks are runny, about 4 minutes.

Ladle a poached egg and some soup into soup bowls and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve the soup immediately, passing the croutons on the side.