By Request...Beer, Cheese, Potato Soup

It does my heart proud (as they say in the South) when someone asks me to find a good recipe for a dish they've had some other place at some other time.  A couple of my girlfriends put in a request for a good beer cheese soup - and I actually found one that is even improved with a little potato.  

This soup is Wisconsin, comfort food, fall, rainy day, winter snow, blankets and a roaring fire, all rolled into one.  It was sooo good and even better with a little toasted multi-grain bread.  If I only I had the time to make some homemade bread...

...don't worry, we didn't suffer too much.

If you like to keep your ingredient list at five and under, you may not like the looks of things right off the bat.  But not too worry, this goes quickly and I can count five things on this photo that don't even go in until the very end as more of an "enhancement".  So there ya go...

Start by chopping the onion, potato, celery, carrot.  Shred the cheese.

Heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat and add your veggies.  Cook until they're soft and then stir in the flour and cook for about two minutes.  

Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, milk, and beer.  Heat to boiling and then reduce to low.

Unholster your handy-dandy immersion blender and blend to your desired consistency.  This time, I took it pretty much to puree - but if you prefer bites of carrot and potato...don't blend quite so long.

Once you're happy with the texture, add in the cheese a handful at a time.  Allow it to melt completely before adding the next batch of cheese.


Season with Worcestershire, salt and pepper to taste....and then get into your comfy clothes because.....

 You are about to be very happy indeed.

Top with sour cream, chives, and bacon if you'd like.   Okay, go ahead and add lots of bacon - I won't tell.

Beer, Cheese, Potato Soup

2 T butter

2 T olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 rib celery, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cups chicken broth or stock

1 cup milk

1 (12-ounce) bottle beer

4 large red potatoes, or 2 large russets, peeled and chopped

2 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 8 ounces)

Worcestershire  to taste

salt, pepper

Sour cream, for topping

4 slices bacon, cooked crisp, for topping

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, for topping

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and saute until they begin to soften. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and continue to stir for 2 minutes.

Gradually whisk in the chicken broth (careful when you do this, the stock will deglaze the pan and the steam can burn),  milk and beer. Stir in the potatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup until the potato is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the heat and using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier soup, blend with caution, checking the texture often.  Return the soup to low heat. Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring until melted and smooth after each addition. 

Season the soup to taste with Worcestershire, salt and pepper.

Top with sour cream, crisp bacon and chopped chives, if desired.