Soup's On, Part I: Beer-Cheese Soup

Soup is one of my favorite food categories, but unfortunately I don't often have access to one I like.  Canned soups are rarely the fulfilling comfort food we wish they were, and restaurant soups are almost always made with chicken stock or some other meat ingredient... not that they're great, anyway.  Whenever I want soup, I make it myself.

Cheese soup is a staple around here, and I make it many different ways.  The base for cheese soup is to sautee veggies in butter and/or oil and then add flour to make a roux.  For beer-cheese soup, I keep it simple, usually just onions and carrots.  Bell peppers or celery are other good options.  After the flour has cooked for 1-2 minutes, I add the beer, and cook another couple of minutes.  Then, about a cup of veggie stock (or water and Better Than Bouillion), and once a little stock is incorporated, I start adding the cheese.  Cheddar is great; I actually like a mix of cheddar and American for this soup.  If you are using a rich beer, you can go with an aged, very sharp cheese that can stand up to a hearty beer.  If you are using a more delicate beer, you may also want to go with a lighter-flavored cheese.  Once the cheese is melted, I add more stock in small batches until it's the consistency I want. 

To  season the soup, I like to add crushed red pepper and plenty of fresh-ground black pepper for a bit of heat, and salt to taste.  Here is a general guideline of ingredients, but it will vary depending on the beer/cheese used and personal tastes, of course:

3 tbsp butter
1tbsp olive or veg oil
1/2 small onion, diced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
3 tbsp flour
8 oz beer, poured into a glass and brought to room temp
6 oz mild cheddar
2 oz sharp cheddar
2 oz American cheese, cheeses all shredded or finely diced
4 cups veggie stock or water and bouillion, divided
1/2 tsp each: crushed red pepper, ground black pepper

Stay tuned for another soup recipe... Happy eating!