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Aigo boulido
Garlic and sage broth
Aigo boulido: Provençal garlic and sage broth poured over bread
FrenchAigo boulido, "boiled water" in Provençal, is the old cure-all of Provence, a simple broth of garlic and sage served after the indulgent Christmas Eve gros souper and whenever someone feels run-down; the saying goes that it saves your life. The garlic simmers until mellow and sweet, then the broth is poured over slices of bread drizzled with olive oil and often thickened with an egg yolk. The common mistake is boiling the sage for too long, which makes the broth bitter. Chef's tip: add the sage only for the last 5 minutes and lift it out before serving.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 10 cloves garlicpeeled and lightly crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg yolk (optional)
- 4 slices stale country bread
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 oz grated Gruyère or vegetarian hard cheese (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Bring the 5 cups water to the boil with the 10 cloves garlic, 1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 tsp salt and simmer for 15 minutes until the garlic is soft.
15 minStep 2: Add the 8 fresh sage leaves and simmer for 5 minutes more, then lift out the herbs.
5 minStep 3: If using the 1 egg yolk, whisk it in a bowl with a ladle of the broth, then stir it back into the pan off the heat without letting it boil.
2 minStep 4: Put a slice of 4 slices stale country bread in each bowl, drizzle with the 3 tbsp olive oil and scatter with the 1 oz grated Gruyère or vegetarian hard cheese. Ladle the hot broth over, with some of the soft garlic, and serve.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does aigo boulido take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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