Beer Cheese Soup

(Photo: Priya Rao's Recipes)

What would happen if you made a soup out of all of the most unhealthy things that come to mind? you'd probably end up with beer cheese soup. A combination of bacon, cheeses, and beer along with a healthy mix of spices, veggies, and chicken stock makes this an incredibly filling, delicious, and above all hearty soup. Celebrate American Craft Beer Week with this great recipe.

Ingredients

5 slices bacon

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery rib, diced

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablesppons flour

2 cups chicken broth

2lb sharp cheddar cheese (hint: for best results buy extra sharp bricks and grate it yourself)

1 bottle of beer (Personal recomendation: Shiner Bock)

Directions

• Cook the bacon until it's evenly brown and crispy. Crumble the bacon into bits. Size isn't particularly important, but keeping the bits small helps with the texture of the soup.
• In a seperate pot melt the butter and saute the onion, carrot, and celery until they are soft. This process should take about 7-10 minutes.
• Once vegetables are soft, add bacon, basil, oregano, mustard, garlic, and green onions to the mixture. Stir it all for about two minutes.
• Stir in the flour until it is dissolved.
• Add chicken broth and beer, cook until heated through.
• Add cheese in small batches until finished. Make sure to stir frequently so no cheese sticks to the bottom, and the soup is evenly heated.
• The soup is ready to serve once all the cheese is melted and the mixture is well blended. Good garnishes include paprika, croutons, or chunks of sourdough bread for dipping.

This recipe serves approximately eight people.

For some added fun, I have served this soup in a bread bowl. Buy a full, circular loaf of hard crusted bread, hollow out the middle, and pour in a good, thick soup like this one. It's pretty simple, fast, and leaves behind some extra bread for dipping.

Comments

[Thita]

I wanted to thank you for vsitiing The Beer Trappe on your beery quest last Sunday. We enjoyed having you in for the day. I enjoy reading your impressions of your beers and the other memories that help you remember them. Feel free to stop in or contact me any time you like for anything beer related.Cheers,Kevin