Beer Muenster Cheese Soup
Source of Recipe
Big Bear Brewing Company
Recipe Introduction
Thanks to the Big Bear Brewing Company restaurant, Coral Springs, you can enjoy their outstanding Beer Muenster Cheese Soup recipe served in a bread bowl at home. The recipe is for the soup only, but we offer the guidelines for the bowl.
This is a satisfyingly rich & flavorful soup that takes an amazingly short time to execute.
The quality of the red beer & muenster cheese are vital to the remarkable flavor & texture of the dish. Red beer is a dark brew with a heartier flavor than standard brews.
We found Killian's Irish Red at our supermarket. We also purchased our muenster cheese from the deli department of the market, to make sure the quality is the best. The less costly muenster sold in the refrigerated cheese section does not provide a satisfyingly smooth texture or flavor.
The addition of a small quantity of light brown sugar masterfully tempers a tad of bitterness that might be discernible from simmering the red beer, not to mention a healthy dose of hot sauce.
Not having a burr mixer such as the restaurant uses to incorporate the shredded cheese efficiently, we reduced the heat under our pot and added the cheese slowly as we whisked vigorously to make sure it melted smoothly.
The soup can be served immediately, or if made ahead, reheat it slowly over medium-low heat, stirring to prevent the cheese from becoming lumpy or stringy. This is rated a high 10 from all the tasters.
Recipe Link: http://sunsentinel.com (August 17, 2006) List of Ingredients
4 1/2 tablespoons margarine, at room temperature (from a stick)
4 1/2 tablespoons flour
3 cups water
1 1/2 heaping tablespoons chicken base (we used Better Than Bouillon Brand)
6 cups heavy cream
2 1/4 cups red beer (we used Killian's Irish Red)
1 1/2 pounds high quality muenster cheese, shredded
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot sauce (we used Tabasco) or to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
Chopped chives, for garnish
Recipe
In a small bowl, cream the margarine and flour to make a roux. Set aside.
In a large, heavy saucepan, bring the water, chicken base, cream and beer to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Slowly whisk in the roux and return to a simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently. (Watch the pot and adjust the heat so the mixture does not boil over.)
Reduce the heat to low and very slowly whisk in the shredded cheese in small additions, making sure each addition melts completely before adding the next. Add the sugar, hot sauce and salt, stirring to make sure the sugar dissolves. Serve hot. Garnished with chopped chives. Makes about 13 1/2 cups.
To make a Bread Bowl: Choose firm round loaves of bread such as sour dough, French or whole grain the size in which you want to serve the soup (usually about 5 to 6 inches in diameter). With a sharp knife, cut a 3- to 4-inch diameter circle out of the top of each leaving about a 1-inch shell. Pull off the top and set aside. Scoop out the soft inside leaving about an inch of bread around the side and bottom. (Save the scooped out bread to make breadcrumbs or croutons.)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil the inside of the "bowl" and place on a baking sheet in the center of the oven 10 to 12 minutes or until the bread is slightly crisp. If you serve the soup in the Bread Bowls you can eat the whole thing by scraping small bits into the soup as you go along. By the time you reach the bottom, that part will be ready to eat.
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