Ingredients

Method

Firstly make a bouquet garni with the herbs. Place the thyme, bay leaf and sage together and tie with string. Place to the side.

In a heavy based saucepan add the oil and heat on a low heat add the garlic and stir until the garlic is golden brown. Be careful that it does not burn.

Add the boiling water to the pan together with the seasoning and the bouquet garni and bring to the boil. Once boiling lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Whilst the soup is heating , toast the bread and place in a shallow heatproof dish in a layer on the bottom and cover the toasted bread with the grated cheese.

Separate the yolks and egg whites into two bowls. Beat the egg whites with a fork until frothy. Remove the bouquet garni from the soup and whisk the egg whites into the soup until they coagulate.

Take the bowl with the yolks and add 2 tablespoons of the soup and whisk together and immediately add it to the soup and mix through.

Remove the soup from the heat immediately and the yolks will thicken the soup but you don't want them to cook. Pour the soup into a tureen and serve immediately.