Garlic and Coriander Soup

This dish is based on the bread soups made in Portugal. Remember to use the best fresh ingredients you can find!

Ingredients:
1 oz. fresh coriander (cilantro), leaves and stalks chopped separately
6 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, or water
5-6 plump garlic gloves, peeled
6 eggs
10 oz. day old bread, most of the crust removed and torn into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

~ Place the coriander stalks in a saucepan. Add the stock or water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, then process in a blender or food processor and sieve back into the pan.
Crush the garlic with the salt, then stir in 1/2 cup hot stock/coriander stalk mixture, then return this crushed garlic mixture back to the pan with the hot stock. Meanwhile, poach the eggs in a frying pan of simmering water for about 3-4 minutes, until just set. Use a draining spoon to remove them from the pan and transfer to a warmed plate. Trim off any untidy bits of white.
Bring the soup back to a boil and add pepper and salt to taste. Stir in the chopped coriander leaves and remove from heat.
Place the bread in six soup bowls and drizzle olive oil over it. Ladle in the soup and stir. Add a poached egg to each bowl and serve immediately, offering olive oil at the table so that is can be drizzled over the soup to taste.

Serves 6