Herb And Garlic Broth-Aigo Bouido - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 heads garlic, fresh and firm
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
2 cloves
6 large sage leaves (or 2 tsp. dried)
6 fresh thyme sprigs (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
10 parsley sprigs
2 teaspoons salt
French bread, sliced and toasted (optional)

Preparation

Separate the garlic cloves by pressing down on the heads. Remove most of the papery skins, then smash the cloves with the flat side of a knife to open them up.
Heat the oil in a soup pot, add the tomato paste, and fry over medium heat for about 1 mintue.
Add the garlic, remaining ingredients, and 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the garlic cloves are soft, about 45 minutes. Strain. Press the garlic throught the strainer with the back of a spoon into the broth or press it into a dish and use for another purpose. The broth can also be frozen in ice cube trays(or 1 cup containers) and added to vegetables or soups, etc. for extra flavor.
To make this as a soup, place one to two slices of toasted bread in each bowl and ladle the broth over. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.