carrot thyme soup with parmesan croutons

I wanted to make soup. But I had no stock! So I made a onion broth, flavoured with a whole head of garlic and thyme. I wanted to eat the soup. But I had no crackers! Soup without something crispy and crunchy? Sacrilege! I made croutons.

carrot thyme soup
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, sliced
1 head of garlic
a handful of thyme sprigs
6 carrots, chopped
salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onions, and cook until softened. Slice off the top of the head of garlic (just exposing the cloves, leaving it intact). Tie up the garlic and thyme in a piece of cheesecloth. Add to the pot, along with 4 or 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. (Voila, tasty stock!) Remove the cheesecloth bundle and discard. Add the carrots, and simmer until carrots are tender. Puree with an immersion blender, and season to taste.

parmesan croutons
4 slices of stale whole grain bread
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh thyme, minced
fresh (or dried) sage, minced
1/2 cup parmesan, grated

Preheat oven to 350. Cut bread into small cubes. Toss in a bowl with all other ingredients. Stir to coat bread with seasonings. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 10-15 minutes, until dry and crispy. Serve on top of soup.