Garlic soup with duck livers and garlic crisps

Method

1. Heat 40g of the butter and all of the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion, bay leaves and most of the thyme and cook until softened, but not coloured - about 10 minutes.

2. Tip in the garlic, stir and cover, and fry gently for another 10 minutes, checking from time to time to prevent burning. Add the diced potato and stir for 5 minutes.

3. Pour in the stock or water and bring to the boil. Cook for 20 minutes or until all the ingredients are soft. Add cream, to taste, and return to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining butter. Push the soup through a fine sieve into a clean pan and season to taste.

4. For the crisps, gently heat up enough duck fat to cover the base of a small pan. Add the garlic slivers and thyme, and cook until golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Season with salt flakes. Set aside in a warm place.

5. For the duck livers, season the duck livers with salt, pepper and more fresh thyme, to taste. Heat the duck fat in a pan and fry the livers for a couple of minutes, just until rare, as the heat of the soup will continue cooking them. Remove the livers from the pan and slice in half.

6. Warm the soup slightly to ensure it is served hot. Pour the soup into warmed bowls, top each with two of the liver halves and sprinkle over the garlic crisps. Serve with warm crusty bread.