Garlic Soup for the Soul

With Father’s Day just passed, all the reminders of my father came even more so to the surface. For me, everyday was and remains to be Father’s Day.

Cooking and eating was, and continues to be, a big part of my family life. My father played a huge role in my love of all things food. He was one of my favourite dining companions; we would have regular father-daughter meals, and my favourites were the ones in London when our times, for some years, would overlap. He would pass me the Time Out London restaurant guide, which we would buy every summer he was in the UK, and dutifully circle all the restaurants he wanted to try. On occasions where we were not meeting to eat out, he would host a long lunch or dinner serving one of his infamous one-pot dishes. One in particular that stands out in my mind is his Garlic Soup.

He always took his time creating his dishes, getting distracted along the way, cracking open a bottle of wine and sipping away as he prepared. He needed to scrutinise a recipe, think about it for some time, and figure out where to get all the ingredients. Despite this, in the moments he did cook, he unwound and became thoroughly engrossed in the process—as he would with anything he put his mind to, like when he was holding his philosophy lectures or during conversations with people.

I originally recreated this recipe and created a version of my own for a wonderful platform called HEAL, where I spoke of his then-recent diagnosis of dementia and how food was a big part in allowing me to reconnect with happy memories and the ability for food to take you back to a moment in time. Now, I simply want to honour him and keep his wonderful memory alive.

Now, a few years later, I want to reshare this special recipe which meant so much to me, but is equally so simple and delicious, and one that I hope you may find joy in creating and eating. This dish is made with plenty of garlic, simmered in some stock with white wine, and seasoned with fresh herbs. You can enjoy this dish both hot or chilled.