A few years ago, when I was obsessed with cooking, I bought Julia Child’s recipe book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. After trying out a few recipes, I realized the complexity of French cooking is just not for me. But there was one recipe I keep going back to, and that is the aigo bouido (garlic soup).

The soup costs next to nothing to make, and is heavenly on a winter night, or when you are fighting a cold. The garlic flavor is very subtle and sweet. It is pretty easy to make too.

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    1                    Separated head or about 16
                         -cloves whole, unpeeled
                         -garlic
    2       qt           Water
    1       t            Salt
    1       pn           Of pepper
    2                    Cloves
      1/4   ts           Sage
      1/4   ts           Thyme
      1/2                Bay leav
    4                    Sprigs parsley
    3       tb           Olive oil

Drop garlic cloves in boiling water and boil for 30
   seconds. Drain, run cold water over them and peel.
   Place the garlic and the rest of the ingredients in a
   3-quart saucepan and boil slowly for 30 minutes.
   Correct seasoning.
   
   3 egg yolks 3 to 4 T. olive oil
   
   Beat the egg yolks with a wire whip in a soup tureen
   for a minute or until they are thick and sticky.  Drop
   by drop beat in the olive oil for making a mayonnaise.
   
   Rounds of hard-toasted French bread 1 cup of grated
   Swiss or Parmesan cheese
   
   Just before serving, beat a ladleful of hot soup into
   the egg mixture by droplets.  Gradually strain in the
   rest, beating and pressing the juice out of the
   garlic. Serve immediately, accompanied by the bread
   and cheese.