Cheese and Beer Soup
Description
Grated Cheddar cheese, amber ale, and heavy cream combined with chopped veggies and seasonings makes a creamy, hearty cold-weather soup.
Ingredients
•
6 strips bacon
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5 tablespoons butter
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1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
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1 cup finely chopped celery
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1 cup peeled, chopped parsnip
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2 tablespoons minced garlic
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1/2 cup all-purpose flour
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4 cups chicken stock
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2 cups amber beer
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2 bay leaves
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1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
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1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
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2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
1
Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels. Crumble.
2
Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Stir in onions, celery, and parsnips. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir constantly until flour dissolves, 3 or 4 minutes.
3
Slowly stir chicken stock and ale into onion mixture. Add bay leaves and cayenne pepper. Increase heat to medium or medium-high to slowly bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low when mixture starts to bubble; simmer uncovered until soup reaches a smooth consistency, about 1 hour.
4
Stir heavy cream into soup; add Cheddar cheese. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until cheese has melted and soup is heated through, 3 or 4 minutes. Do not bring to a boil. Sprinkle bacon crumbles on soup.