ROASTED GARLIC AND SHALLOT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine unpeeled garlic heads and unpeeled shallots in large bowl, pour the olive oil over them and toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper and place them in a single layer in a baking dish along with any oil remaining in bowl. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes. If shallots are soft by then, remove them. Bake them a little longer if necessary. Continue baking the garlic another 30 minutes or so until it is soft. Allow garlic and shallots to cool.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy three- to four-quart saucepan. Add onions and cook gently for 15 minutes. Do not allow to brown. Add peeled, unroasted shallots and peeled garlic cloves. Cook over low heat 10 minutes longer. Add potatoes, about 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste, the chicken stock, cream and thyme. Cover and cook about 40 minutes, until potatoes are very soft.
• Peel roasted shallots. Cut roasted garlic heads in half horizontally and squeeze in a potato ricer or by hand to extract the soft pulp. Add garlic pulp and shallots to saucepan and cook 10 minutes longer.
• Puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper and, if desired, adjust the consistency of the soup with some additional stock, cream or milk or water. Reheat before serving.