Dinner Tonight - Beer and Cheddar Soup

Recipe courtesy Food and Wine magazine, posted below. The recipe has alot of steps but is well worth it! This is seriously my new favorite soup. Made recipe exactly as directed with no substitutions. Added some home-made croutons on top, thanks to Zac. Used the leftover challah bread from breakfast casserole I made for Christmas Eve with Zac's family.

Zac did all the prep. Very nice chopping and dicing job! Garlic, onion, celery, jalepeno (seeded), and thyme.

I cooked the bacon, removed from the pan along with some of the fat. Next we sauteed the vegetables, garlic, and thyme in remaining bacon fat.

Lots of cheese! 

Other ingredients: cooked bacon, chicken stock, heavy cream, and lager

Added half of lager and stock to pot to reduce

Zac making the roux, almost ready to add to the soup

Cheese, bacon, cream, and remaining lager have been added. It's almost ready!

Finished product.  Added croutons and enjoyed!

Recipe:

Beer-and-Cheddar Soup

Contributed by Jonathon Erdeljac

• ACTIVE:

• TOTAL TIME: 45 MIN

• SERVINGS: 6

Ingredients

1. 2 large garlic cloves, minced
2. 1 celery rib, finely chopped
3. 1 small onion, finely chopped
4. 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5. Salt and freshly ground pepper
6. Garlic-rubbed toasts, for serving
7. 1 cup heavy cream
8. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
9. 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
10. 1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
11. One 12-ounce bottle lager or pilsner
12. 1/2 pound piece of slab bacon, sliced 1/3 inch thick and cut into 1/3-inch dice
13. About 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
14. 1/2 pound sharp yellow cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
15. 4 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl. Add the celery, onion, jalapeño, garlic and thyme to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 8 minutes. Add half of the beer and cook until reduced by half, 5 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups of chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
2. In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk this roux into the soup until incorporated and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 8 minutes. Add the heavy cream, cheddar cheeses and the remaining beer and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bacon and season with salt and pepper. Add a few tablespoons of broth if the soup is too thick. Serve the soup with garlic toasts.

MAKE AHEAD

The cheddar soup can be refrigerated overnight. Rewarm gently and thin with additional broth.