Cuban Garlic Soup (Sopa De Ajo) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 slices French bread, cubed
12 garlic cloves, peeled, minced
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, peeled, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup sherry wine
salt and pepper
6 large eggs, separated
parsley (to garnish) (optional)

Preparation

In an 8-quart stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bread and saute until the cubes just begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, 1 minute.
Using a wooden spoon, mash the garlic and bread together. Add tomatoes, paprika, bay leaf, chicken broth and sherry. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, add about 3 Tablespoons of the hot soup to the egg yolks, beating constantly to temper them. Add yolk mixture to the soup, whisking constantly and quickly until smooth. Add unbeaten egg whites to soup in stockpot in a steady stream while whisking quickly until all are mixed. Return soup to heat to warm.
Remove and discard bay leaf, garnish with parsley if desired and serve.