culinary exploration

Cheddar Beer Soup with Soda Bread

I saw this soup recipe on one of my favorite shows on the Food Network, 5 Ingredient Fix.  At the end of the episode she used chunks of the soda bread to taste the soup because she didn’t have a spoon handy.  It turned out to be a genius idea - dunk the bread into the soup!  :)   

Sundays during this time of year are all about relaxing and watching football.  This seemed like the perfect meal to enjoy while watching my Chicago Bears!

The broth is so simple and can be used as a base for many other soups.  I added a couple more tablespoons of flour than the recipe called for because I like my soups to be thick.  I also used low-sodium chicken stock.  I like how Claire uses what she calls “double duty” ingredients.  The garlic oil gave the soup an added flavor to avoid a bland taste.  It’s not necessary to go out and buy garlic infused olive oil - just sautee some crushed garlic in olive oil (so you don’t have chunks of garlic in your soup) and you’ll get the same flavor!

The bread was SO easy to make and it took 5 minutes to put the dough together.  I would definitely leave the loaf in the oven for the full 25 minutes (if not a few minutes longer) to make sure the middle is completely baked through. 

Here are the recipes with my little adjustments:

SODA BREAD

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading surface
3 c. whole-wheat flour
2 t. baking soda
1/2 c. rolled oats
1 t. kosher salt
2 c. buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, oats and salt.  Pour in most of the buttermilk and mix well, adding more buttermilk, if needed, to form a soft dough.  Turn out onto a floured surface and lightly knead into a shapeable dough.  Avoid overworking the dough.  Shape the dough into a round disk shaped loaf and cut a deep “X” in the top with a sharp knife.  Put the dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes at 425° F.  Lower the oven temperature to 375° F and bake another 25 minutes.  Remove the bread from the oven to a cutting board.  Cool slightly before cutting and enjoy warm!

CHEDDAR BEER SOUP

1/4 c. garlic infused olive oil 
4 T. unbleached all-purpose flour
4 c. low-sodium chicken stock
2 c. grated extra-sharp Cheddar
1 c. dark beer (like a stout or porter)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour and cook until the mixture starts to bubble, about 3 minutes.  Whisk in the stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.  Slowly incorporate the cheese stirring until fully melted and smooth.  Add the beer and cook until heated through.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Ladle into serving bowls and enjoy with soda bread.