A humble soup in honor of St. Bernadette
Time and again, God shows his love for simplicity. He chose a humble Virgin, Mary of Nazareth, to be his Mother. Eighteen centuries later, he sent that same Virgin to a poor, uneducated girl in the town of Lourdes, France. Fourteen-year-old Bernadette Soubirous was gathering firewood when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to her in the limestone cave called Massabielle.
Time and again, God shows his love for simplicity. He chose a humble Virgin, Mary of Nazareth, to be his Mother. Eighteen centuries later, he sent that same Virgin to a poor, uneducated girl in the town of Lourdes, France. Fourteen-year-old Bernadette Soubirous was gathering firewood when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to her in the limestone cave called Massabielle.
Mary’s message to Bernadette was simple, too. Even amid the skeptical and sometimes hostile reactions of the authorities to her story, Bernadette experienced God’s love for her during her interactions with Mary at the Grotto. This love – in addition to the call to prayer, conversion and penance – is the message of Lourdes.
Today, there are hundreds of “grottos” throughout the world inspired by the Lourdes Grotto. Anyone who has prayed at a Grotto knows the warmth of the candles and the contemplative silence of the cave. It is an experience entirely simple yet infused with the surety of God’s love.
As you celebrate the feast of St. Bernadette on April 16, enjoy a bowl of Tourin à l’ail, a French soup made with sautéed garlic, flour and egg. This dish, popular among peasants in the Pyrenees where St. Bernadette lived, may have been on the Soubirous family table for celebrations and feasts. In their poverty, they would have considered it a blessing to enjoy this simple treat. As we share our meal, we can learn from them and offer our thanksgiving to God.
Tourin Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. butter, olive oil, or even duck fat
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 head garlic, cloves separated/peeled/chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- Thyme sprigs
- 1 Tbsp. flour
- 2 cups water or stock
- 2 egg yolks, room temp
- ½ tsp. sherry vinegar
- Heavy pinch salt, pepper
- Croutons/bread for serving
Directions
- Melt butter in large saucepan. Sweat onion, garlic, bay leaf and thyme until softened but not starting to color. Sprinkle flour evenly, stir well. Pour in liquid while stirring to thicken. Simmer covered 20 minutes. Remove from heat, pull out herbs. Blend with immersion blender until smooth.
- In separate small bowl, whisk egg yolks with vinegar. Slowly drizzle into pan while whisking, still off heat. Taste and season with salt and/or pepper as desired – it may seem bland until the right amount of salt balances the other rich ingredients.
- Top with rustic croutons or pour over a thick slice of toast. Serves 2 for lunch or first course.
