This is a great light meal or snack.

• 1tbl olive oil
• 12 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1L vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1 sprig of sage
• Chives to serve
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crusty bread

1. Heat half of the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.  Add onion and 10 chopped garlic cloves.  Cook, stirring, for five minutes or until soft.  Place herbs in a bouquet garni bag* and put in pot.  If you don’t have a bouquet garni bag, simply add the herbs to the pot.  Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Drizzle bread with the remaining olive oil.  Place bread on a grill and cook until golden and brown.  Rub with cloves of garlic. Tonight I cheated and spread the bread with lashings of garlic Toum made by my neighbour, Rita.
3. Remove bouquet garni bag or herbs from soup and discard.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve with garlic bread.

*I bought my bouquet garni bag from Twine Homestore located in Wollombi.