I made this for company a few weeks back and I have been requested to pass along the recipe. I figured I’d share it with everyone here.

Garlic-Potato Soup
From the March/April 2007 issue of Cook’s Illustrated
Serves 6 as a main course

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium leek, white and green parts halved lengthwise, washed, and chopped small (about 1 cup)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 Tablespoon)
2 whole heads of garlic, rinsed, outer papery skins removed and top third of heads cut off and discarded
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus 1 cup to thin soup, if needed (I recommend Swanson’s Organic Chicken Broth; 1 carton = 6 cups)
2 bay leaves
Table salt
1.5 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes (about 4.5 cups)
1 lb. Red Bliss potatoes (unpeeled), cut into 1/2″ cubes (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1.5 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
Ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
Garnish (see below)

1. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add leeks and cook until soft (do not brown), about 5-8 minutes.
2. Stir in the three cloves of minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.
3. Add the chicken broth, two heads of garlic, bay leaves, and 3/4 tsp of salt; partially cover the pot and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat.
4. Reduce the heat and summer until the garlic heads are very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 30-40 minutes.
5. Add the potatoes and continue to simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes.
6. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Remove the garlic heads using tongs or paper towels. Squeeze the garlic heads at the root end until the cloves slip out of their skins.
7. Using a fork, mash the garlic to a smooth paste in a bowl.
8. Stir the cream, thyme, and half of the mashed garlic into the soup; reheat the soup until hot, about 2 minutes. Taste the soup and add more garlic paste if desired.
9. Using an immersion blender, process the soup until creamy, with some potato chunks remaining. Alternatively, you can transfer 1.5 cups of potatoes and 1 cup of the broth to a blender or food processor and process until smooth (Process more potatoes for a thicker consistency). Return the puree to the pot and stir to combine.
10. Adjust the consistency of the soup with more broth if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and serve, sprinkling each portion with chives and garnish.

Garnish: The primary recommended garnish is garlic chips (6 medium garlic cloves sliced thinly lengthwise, simmered in 3 Tablespoons of olive oil until crispy, then lightly salted). Other possibilities include bacon bits, fried leeks, and garlic croutons.

Duncan’s notes: I wound up going a little heavy on the russet potatoes, so had to add another cup of broth to thin back the soup a bit. I also peeled the red potatoes (yay for not following directions!) which made the texture of the soup a bit too smooth; something with a bit more tooth to it would have helped. The garlic flavor of the soup is really nice – it’s not overpowering, more mellow. I wound up using all of the garlic paste in the soup. The garlic chips were nice, but I’d almost double the amount above, and supplement it with chopped up bits of freshly-cooked thick bacon strips. A couple folks also suggested that a bit of hot sauce would be a welcome addition, and I could certainly see that. This recipe is highly recommended, and I’d make it again!