Birthday Dinner Part II: Garlic-Sage-Cheese Bisque

Mediterranean Fusion

I do consult recipes on occasion and for this dinner I got a number of ideas from: "Mediterranean, The Beautiful Cookbook." This recipe hails from Provence, and of course I couldn't leave it well-enough alone, I had to tweak it a bit.

Garlic-Sage-Cheese Bisque

6-8 large cloves garlic
3 large fresh sage leaves
large pinch of fresh thyme leaves
chicken stock (about 4 cups for 6 people) [Keep in mind this was a Tasting Menu so portions were small to medium).
1/4 cup or so of cooked long grain rice
3 egg yolks
salt and freshly ground pepper
Butter and/or Olive oil
Freshly grated cheese to taste -- I used Aged Romano -- maybe a 1/4 cup
Freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon

Place the garlic, sage, thyme, lemon juice in with the chicken stock and simmer until flavors are well-blended, a good half hour or more. I did this a day ahead. Remove sage leaves,add rice and cook until rice is mushy (serves as the thickener with the egg yolks added later). Cool down a bit and blend all of this and then put through a medium-fine sieve. Put this thick stock back in rinsed out pan and on medium-low heat whisk in the three egg yolks and finally the cheese. Add a dollop of butter (or olive oil). Simmer until everything is well incorporated. Serve warm.

Recipe in cookbook calls for vermicelli left as whole pieces in soup. I wanted more of a bisque effect, hence the change to rice. Also, one can put a crust of French Bread in bowl and ladle soup over. But since we had many courses yet to come, I chose discretion at this stage.

Excellent light bisque!

Enjoy.

Joe Koob