Garlic-Potato Soup

Here is the recipe for super tasty Garlic-Potato Soup, from the March/April 2007 Cook's Illustrated.

Garlic-Potato Soup
(Serves 6 as a main course) -- R and I ate leftovers for days.
3 tbs unsalted butter
1 medium leek, white and light green parts, chopped small (about 1 cup)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced. Plus 2 whole heads garlic, rinsed, outer papery skins removed and top 1/3rd of heads cut off and discarded.
6 cups chicken or veggie broth plus 1 cup to thin soup, if needed
2 bay leaves
salt
1.5 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 pound Red Bliss potatoes (unpeeled) cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1.5 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
black pepper
1/4 c minced fresh chives
Garlic chips (recipe follows)

1. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium high heat. When foaming subsides, add leeks and cook until soft (do not brown), 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic heads, broth, bay leaves, and 3/4 tsp salt; partially cover pot and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until garlic is very tender when pierced with tip of knife, 30to 40 minutes. Add potatoes and continue to simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Discard bay leaves. Remove garlic heads; using tongs or paper towels, squeeze garlic heads at root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using a fork, mash the garlic to a smooth paste in a bowl.
3. Stir cream, thyme, and half of mashed garlic into soup; heat soup until hot about two minutes. Taste soup; add remaining garlic paste if desired. Using immersion blender, process soup until creamy, with some potato chunks remaining. Alternatively, transfer 1 1/2 cups potatoes and one cup broth to blender or food processor and process until smooth. (Process more potatoes for thicker consistency) Return puree to pot and stir to combine, adjusting consistency with more broth if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and serve, sprinkling each portion with chives and garlic chips.

Garlic Chips
3 tbs olive oil
6 medium garlic cloves, sliced thin lengthwise
salt

Heat oil and garlic in 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, turning frequently until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic to plate lined with paper towels; discard oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Yum yum! R and I made the soup pretty thick and we didn't use all the garlic head paste. The leftovers were really good, and did not get more garlicky. We feared the garlic would be overpowering after sitting in the fridge, but it was not at all.