Roasted Garlic and Onion Soup with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

• 4 large heads garlic (about lb)
• 1 lb onions
• 1/4 cup Garlic flavored Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 5 cup chicken stock
• 1 Onion; diced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• coarse salt, fresh ground pepper
• 2 oz goat cheese
• 1/2 tsp chopped parsley
• 1 tsp shallot, minced finely
• 1/4 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 8 toasted round French bread slices brushed with fresh garlic
• 2 T Chives, fresh; chopped

Soup: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Peel garlic cloves and onions, cut onions into six wedges each and lay them in large roasting pan. Scatter garlic on top of onions, pour oil over all, season with salt and pepper. Roast onions and garlic for two hours until both are very soft. Put onions and garlic into soup pot. Over medium heat deglaze roast pan with wine and add to soup pot. Add stock, cover pot, bring to boil, simmer one hour. Put garlic and onion in blender and puree. Return vegetables to broth and boil 15 minutes to reduce. Refrigerate soup at least overnight. Reheat soup and reseason with salt, pepper. Makes about 5 cups.

Croutons: Using a rubber spatula, combine the goat cheese, parsley, shallot and thyme thoroughly and spread on French bread. Just before serving, heat the French bread in a 300 degree oven until the cheese has just begun to melt. Ladle hot soup into warm bowls and float a crouton on each one. Pass the remaining croutons on a plate.