Garlic Soup Straight from Prague

This is a soup I had when in Prague in 2009 and I could have eaten it time and time again. Its not exactly the same so Im still working to get it there but its still a great winter warmer.

Garlic Soup

Ingredients:
20 Cloves Garlic
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 small Brown onion sliced thinly
1 tbsp olive oil
1 knob butter
1 Litre Beef Stock
Freshly cracked black pepper
Sprinkle of fine sea salt
1 Large potato (optional)

Method:
In a frying pan heat up the butter and oil and add the onion. Fry on a gentle heat until soft - for around 10 minutes. Add to this 10 of the garlic cloves. You can leave these whole or chop finely.

Place the 10 remaining garlic cloves into pestle and mortar and bash until they form a paste.

Add the stock to the onion mixture, bring to the boil and then reduce. Cook on a reduced heat for 20 minutes. If the liquid evaporates to much, add some more water to the soup. Add to this one potatoe which has been thinly sliced together with the pureed garlic. Cook for a futher 10 minutes, season with the cracked pepper and fine sea salt and serve.