Green Olive Soup

Photo: flickr user rumble1973

Ingredients

2 cups Green olives pitted

3 tablespoons Olive oil

1/2 medium Yellow onion peeled and sliced

2 Garlic cloves crushed

1 quart Chicken stock fresh or canned

1 cup Whipping cream

6 tablespoons Flour see * Note

3 tablespoons Olive oil see * Note

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

4 dsh Tabasco sauce or to taste

cup Dry sherry

Sliced pimento-stuffed green olives

Garlic-bread croutons

Preparation

* Note: Cook the 6 tablespoons of flour together with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil to make a roux.

Soak the olives in cold water for 1 hour. Drain and coarsely chop the olives.

Heat a frying pan and add the oil, onion and garlic along with 2/3 of the olives. Saute until the onions are transparent. Puree this mixture in a food processor along with 1 cup of the stock.

Place the mixture in a 4-quart saucepan and add the remaining stock. Simmer for 20 minutes and add the cream. Whisk in the roux and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add pepper to taste and the remaining chopped olives, Tabasco sauce and dry sherry. Heat to serving temperature and serve with the sliced olive and crouton garnish.

This recipe serves 6 to 8 as a first course.

Comments: This dish is a serious celebration of the olive!