Serves: 4
2 heads garlic, unpeeled and seperated into cloves
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
7 ounces brie, rind removed, chopped into chunks
Ground white pepper
Preheat oven to 325 F (170 C). Place garlic in glass baking dish, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover with foil and bake until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Place on rack to cool.
Heat remaining oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat. Sauté onion until translucent, approximately 10 minutes. Add carrot and celery and sauté until tender, an additional 10 minutes. Add flour and stir for 3 minutes. Gradually stir in stock. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, 15-20 minutes.
Peel garlic and place in food processor [you can also use a garlic press]. Add one cup soup and process until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan and stir in herbs. (At this point, soup may be refridgerated for one day.) [I’ve frozen it at this point, along with seperate parcels of pre-chopped Brie, then just heated it up and added the Brie at that point. Works reasonably well.]
Bring soup to simmer over medium-low heat. Gradually add Brie, whisking until melted after each addition. Season with pepper (and salt, if desired) to taste. Ladle and serve.