← Nouns Cooking · American

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp Butter
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, finely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 40 g Plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 tsp Mustard powder (dry mustard)
• ¼ tsp Smoked paprika
• 355 ml lager or pale ale
• 500 ml vegetable stock
• 240 ml double (heavy) cream
• 280 g sharp cheddar, grated
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 2 Spring onion, sliced, to serve

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot and celery for 8–10 min, until very soft. Add the garlic for 1 minute.
2. Stir in the flour, mustard powder and paprika and cook for 1–2 min, until it smells toasty.
3. Slowly pour in the beer, stirring, and let it bubble for 2 min. Add the stock and simmer for 10 min, stirring now and then, until slightly thickened.
4. Blend the soup until smooth with a stick blender, then stir in the cream and bring back to a bare simmer.
5. Turn the heat to low and add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring until each lot melts before adding more. Season with salt, pepper and the Worcestershire, if using.
6. Ladle into bowls, scatter with spring onion and serve with soft pretzels, popcorn or crusty bread.

Tips

• Grate your own cheese: pre-grated bags contain anti-caking powder that makes the soup gritty.
• Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so leave it out to keep this vegetarian.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

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