Italian Roasted Garlic Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 whole heads of garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken stock or 3 1/2 cups broth
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans or (15 ounce) can white beans, drained, rinsed and drained again
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup half-and-half (I used fat free 1/2 & 1/2) or 1/2 cup milk (I used fat free 1/2 & 1/2)
freshly grated parmesan cheese, for topping
chopped fresh parsley, for topping

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0.
Rub off some of the papery outer skins of the garlic heads but do not peel them or separate the cloves, leave the heads intact.
Slice 1/4\" off the top of each garlic head.
Place the heads, cut side up, in a lightly sprayed or oiled baking dish.
Drizzle 1/2 teaspoons oil over each head.
Bake, uncovered, until golden, about 1 hour.
Cool slightly then press the whole head with your hand all at once to release the garlic pulp.
Place the pulp in a bowl and set aside.
In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the remaining oil.
Add onion and celery and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add reserved garlic pulp, stock, beans, basil salt, pepper and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
Remove bay leaf and discard.
In a food processor or blender (or better yet, an immersion blender, which is what I used), puree soup in batches.
Return to pot and stir in half-and-half.
Simmer until flavors are blended, about 5 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley.