Twas the week before Christmas and all through the country it was cold enough to freeze the… make Santa feel right at home. Hells bells, they’re even talking snow in Texas tomorrow.
With a week of holiday frenzy coming up, we often reach this time of year for warm, relatively simple to prepare, comfort-inspiring foods – foods that bring a smile to cold faces and don’t break the bank either.
Here’s a long standing favorite of ours, a very nice Bacon Cheddar Ale Soup, first shared by friends hailing from Chicago (it’s not Wisconsin cheese soup country, but damned close…) way back in our Salt Lake City days.
It’s pretty danged simple, and while adding the leeks and red peppers is a bit untraditional, as is pureeing the vegetables after sautéing them – doing so almost guarantees layers of flavor and a smooth and velvety texture to this soup.
Top it off with thick-sliced bacon crumbles and home toasted croutons (try dusted with your favorite Cajun spice mix) and you’ll be smiling even if you and Santa are seriously overbooked / overworked this next week.
Ho, ho, ho.
4 thick-sliced bacon slices, cooked, drained, crumbled
2 leeks (white and light green parts only), cut into small dice
2 celery stalks, cut into small dice
2-3 carrots, cut into small dice
1/2 jar roasted red peppers, drained, cut into small dice
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups whole milk
2 cups chicken broth
1 bottle of ale, you make the call, room temperature
1-3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp good dry mustard
1 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper (to taste)
1 lb sharp (or extra sharp) Cheddar (use the good stuff), gratedGarnish: Homemade croutons and that gorgeous bacon
Sauté the leeks, celery, carrots, red peppers, garlic and bay leaf in the 1/2 stick of butter until soft. Now using your trusty stick / immersion blender, roughly puree the vegetables right in the pot.
Now stir in the flour, stir well to combine, and cook, stirring now and again for 3 to 4 minutes.
Whisk in the milk, chicken broth and ale and bring to a simmer; stir now and again for 5 minutes or so until hot. Now whisk in the Worcestershire (start with 1 tsp), mustard, salt and pepper.
Add the cheese in 4 parts, stirring until mostly melted between additions (will take 3-4 minutes to melt the cheese). DON’T bring it to a boil. Correct the seasonings: we almost always add more Worcestershire and salt, but it depends on the cheese…
Serve hot, garnished with the croutons and bacon accompanied by a cold brew.
Enjoy.
