Garlic Soup

Thanks to the other Vegan MoFo writers for all the fantastic blogging this month.  Posting five days a week has been a challenge for me, but it has pushed me to try new things, spend more time cooking, and diversify my diet.  My goal now that MoFo is over is to continue posting twice a week, most likely one original recipe and one recipe review per week.  I'm excited to try out some of the many other MoFo posts I've starred in my Google Reader.  And without further ado: Garlic Soup.

This, folks, is my most coveted recipe.  Garlic soup sounds homely, and doesn't look like much.  It isn't polite food, and it will make you smell like garlic for at least a day after you eat it.  Furthermore, thinly slicing an entire cup of garlic is tedious tedious work.  It's worth it.

The ingredients
1 1/2 cups margarine
1 cup thinly-sliced garlic
2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (which sounds like too much, but isn't a typo)
5 1/2 cups vegetable broth
5 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 cup Silk creamer (plain flavor)
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
salt and cayenne pepper to taste

The process

1. Melt margarine over medium-low heat, then saute sliced garlic and onion in margarine for about 7 minutes, or until completely softened.
2. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes.  
3. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups broth, then add remaining broth and cook over low heat 12-15 minutes, stirring a few times.  
4. Add minced or pressed garlic, and simmer 5 minutes.
5. Add creamer and return to a simmer.  Cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes.  Season with salt and cayenne to taste (if using canned broth, you probably won't need to add salt).
6. Remove from heat, stir in tomatoes, and let stand 10 minutes.
7. Serve with bread for sopping up the broth.