Words by Darlene Greene
Whenever you feel you might be coming down with a cold, the flu or other pesky virus, you would benefit from the warm, rich goodness of Four Lily Soup. I first enjoyed this wonderful concoction at Wild Thyme in Highlands, NC. It is a great restaurant that I recommend highly should you have the opportunity to visit.
Four Lily Soup is like being wrapped in a warm blanket when you come in from the cold. Made from onions, shallots, garlic, chicken bone broth, seasoned with fresh thyme, it is delicious. Like a shot of penicillin in a bowl, it boosts your immune system too. The health benefits of Four Lily Soup include antioxidants, antibacterial properties, improved blood sugar, improved digestion, lower cholesterol, and improved blood pressure.
The ingredients are inexpensive and readily available at most supermarkets. Elegant enough to serve guests for lunch or dinner. The recipe below is from Gourmet Magazine, March 2003, but you can find a number of recipes and variations online:
½ large sweet onion like Vidalia, coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
10 oz shallots, coarsely chopped
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
¼ cup olive oil
2 ½ cup of chicken bone broth
1 cup heavy cream
½ tea salt
¼ tea fresh ground pepper
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Toss onions, shallots and garlic with oil and spread evenly on large shallow baking pan (about 1 inch deep). Roast in middle of oven stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 45 mins to 1 hour. Transfer the onion garlic mixture to 4-6 quart heavy pot and add broth and thyme, simmer covered stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 20 minutes. Puree soup in batches in blender until smooth, about a minute per batch. Transfer to a saucepan, stir in cream, salt and pepper, simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until heated through.
This recipe will serve 8 as a first course to lunch or dinner.
Soup is very rich and should be served in small bowls.
It is good served with a few freshly made garlic croutons floated on top.
Soup can be made with only ½ cup cream. The result will be slightly less rich but still delicious.
Additional Note: This soup is delicious but rich and filling. Do follow the recommendations in the recipe and serve in cup or small bowl. No more than 5-7 ounces per serving as more will leave you feeling too full.