Now we're talking French food...don't be shy about using plenty of garlic in this soup recipe, you will love it!

One of the most loved events in the annual calendar of our local town is their competition to see who can make the most delicious garlic soup, with the town maire and many of the other local dignitaries all sitting in weighty judgement on the various traditional garlic soups brought in by the locals.

Ingredients

• 1 head of garlic, ideally pink
• 8 sage leaves
• 4 eggs
• gruyere cheese
• french bread

Recipe

1. Peel all the garlic cloves
2. Put all except one of the garlic cloves (unchopped) in a large pan with the sage, a little salt, and two litres of water
3. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes
4. Remove the garlic cloves and the sage. Discard the sage. Crush the garlic.
5. Put the crushed garlic back in the pan, and add some pepper.
6. Simmer for a few minutes, then poach the eggs in the soup.
7. Meanwhile, cut some slices of bread, rub them with the remaining garlic clove, and toast them in the oven. When one side is toasted, put the gruyere on the other side and toast that also.
8. In each bowl, put a piece of toast with cheese, put an egg on top of that, and then the soup is served on top of that.
9. Additional bread might be required, depending how strong your garlic was!