Tourin is a garlic-based soup from southwestern France. Garlic is fried in butter with onions, then reduced with water. An egg is added and whisked in to create a creamy texture. Variations include using different fats, stock, or sour cream. It can be served with toast, croutons, or cheese.
Tourin is a type of soup that originated in southwestern France. It is made from a large amount of garlic that is fried in butter with onions and then reduced with water until thick. An egg is added separately, the whites first and the yolk last, while the soup is whisked constantly to keep the eggs from cooking into large curds over heat. Some variations use different types of fat instead of butter, stock instead of water, and sour cream or creme fraiche instead of eggs. When served, the tourin can be poured onto a piece of toast, garnished with parsley and croutons, or covered in cheese and cooked quickly for a melted topping.
Garlic is the main ingredient and main flavor of the tourin. Depending on the recipe followed, there may be a handful of garlic or even several dozen cloves in the dish. Diced onions are usually added to the soup and can be used to replace some of the garlic to reduce the strong flavor.
The basic recipe for tourin begins with chopped garlic fried in butter. Some recipes use duck fat or bacon drippings instead of butter for a different flavor. The garlic is cooked well but not browned. The onions are also cooked through at this point but cannot caramelize. White wine or vinegar is occasionally added near the end of the browning to provide some depth.
The shortening, garlic and onions are added to a pot of simmering water. You can use spices such as thyme, sage, or star anise, but most recipes just add salt and pepper. The water is brought to a boil and left to cook until it reduces. An egg white is whipped to a foam and then slowly drizzled into the tourin while being constantly whisked to keep the whites from forming a large, solid mass.
Just when the dish finishes cooking and is very thick and creamy, an egg yolk is mixed with a small amount of vinegar. The beaten yolk is then slowly incorporated into the hot soup the same way the egg white was, after which the tourin is finished. It can be served in a bowl with toasted bread in the bottom, or it can be covered with a slice of gruyere and placed under a broiler for a minute so the cheese melts. Noodles or egg noodles can be added to the tourin while it is cooking to create a strong garlicky dish.
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