Trinculo's Cafe: Exploring the Epicurean with The Stray Gourmet

Here’s a quick and easy soup that just begs for garlic bread as an accompaniment. You can whip it up quickly on an evening when the wind is howling, the snowflakes are flying and you need something delicious to warm you from the inside out. This recipe serves 2 very hungry people as a complete meal or four people as an appetizer.

Wisconsin Beer & Cheddar Soup ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 ¾ cups whole milk ! bottle of flavorful beer 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 ½ tsp. dry mustard 1 tsp. dill weed 1 tsp. parsley flakes or chopped fresh parsley A dash of garlic powder ½ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Stir in milk, beer, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, pepper, dill weed, parsley and a dash of garlic powder. Heat to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking often. Stir in the grated cheddar and mix thoroughly until cheese is melted. Garnish with flavorful croutons or serve hot crispy garlic bread on the side (my preference). Your winter chills will melt away as soon as the soup slides down.