Instructions: On a flat surface, smash garlic heads, root ends up, with the palm of the hand to break up cloves, leaving peels intact. Put garlic on a sheet of foil and drizzle with 1 tbsp oil. Sprinkle garlic with salt and pepper to taste and wrap tightly in foil. Bake garlic in the middle of the oven at 400 F for 40 minutes or until very tender.

Unwrap garlic carefully and let stand until cool enough to handle. In a bowl, squeeze roasted garlic out of cloves by squeezing one end, discarding the skin.

In a kettle, cook onions in remaining tablespoon of oil over moderate heat until softened. Peel and cut potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and add to kettle with water. Bring water to a simmer and cook potatoes, covered, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 20 minutes.

Transfer half of potatoes with cooking liquid to a bowl and in a blender, in batches, puree with garlic until smooth. Transfer mixture as pureed back to kettle, stirring, and season soup with salt and pepper.

Pour soup into serving bowls; garnish each with 1/2 tbs scallion puree. Serve with crusty bread.

Scallion puree:
In a saucepan heat 1/4 cup oil over moderate heat and cook scallions just until tender and bright green in color (do not let brown.) In a blender, puree scallion mixture with the remaining 1/4 cup oil until smooth. Season puree with salt and pepper and let cool.

Makes about
3/4 cup.

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