Czech Garlic Soup with Potato, Cheese and Croutons

Name: Czech Garlic Soup with Potato, Cheese and Croutons
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 400 g potatoes; 6 cloves garlic; 2 teaspoons vegetable broth; 1 teaspoon caraway; 1 teaspoon marjoram; 1200 ml water; lard; salt; ground pepper; 60 g edam cheese; 1 handful croutons

Jakub SýkoraSoupCzech Cuisine x se líbilo

Czech garlic soup cures everything, from a hangover to the cold to an empty wallet. Just a few cloves, potatoes and broth are all you need, and within half an hour the whole kitchen smells of it. It tastes best with a handful of crisp croutons and a snow of grated cheese on top. Nothing warms you from the stomach so fast.

Příprava: 15min

Vaření: 25min

CELKOVÝ ČAS: 40min

Step by step process

The soup base

1
Peel the potatoes for the Czech garlic soup and cut them into small cubes so that they cook quickly and evenly. Peel the cloves and press them through a press or finely chop them with a knife.
2
Melt the lard in a large pot and briefly fry the caraway in it until it starts to smell and turn golden. Pour in hot water, stir in the bouillon and bring to a boil. The toasted caraway gives it a rounder, heartier base.
3
Tip in the diced potatoes and simmer them covered over low heat for about 15 minutes, until they are completely soft and can be pierced easily with a fork.

Final seasoning

4
Stir in the crushed cloves and the marjoram rubbed between your fingers near the very end of cooking, to release the aroma. Let it bubble gently for just 3 minutes so it keeps its sharp flavour and does not turn bitter. Finally season it with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Serving

5
Ladle the finished broth into warmed bowls. Generously sprinkle each portion with grated cheese and a handful of crisp croutons and serve immediately, while the cheese is melting softly in the hot liquid.