Ingredients:
½ bunch fresh cilantro, leaves and stalks chopped separately
6¼ cups vegetable stock or water
5-6 plump green garlic bottoms (bulb part)
1 teaspoon vinegar
6 eggs
10 ounces day-old bread, torn into bite-size pieces
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
1. Place the cilantro stalks in a soup pot. Add the stock or water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Process the broth in a food processor or blender then press it through a sieve (strainer) back into the pot.
2. Crush the garlic with 1 teaspoon salt in a mortar and pestle or a bowl. Stir in ½ cup of the hot broth and then pour the mixture back into the pot.
3. Meanwhile poach the eggs: heat a large frying pan of water, with the vinegar, until boiling. Crack an egg into a cup. Reduce the heat so the water simmers, swirl the water and drop the egg into the middle of the swirl. Poach 3-4 minutes, until just set. Add the remaining eggs in the same way (cook them in 2 batches if the pan is too small). Use a draining spoon to remove the eggs from the pan and transfer to a warmed plate. Trim off any untidy bits with a knife or scissors.
4. Bring the broth back to a boil and add the seasoning. Stir in the chopped cilantro leaves and remove from heat.
5. Place the bread in soup bowls and drizzle olive oil over it. Ladle in the soup and stir. Add a poached egg to each portion and serve immediately, offering olive oil at the tale so that it can be drizzled over the soup to taste.
Serves 6