Creamy Cheddar Cheese Soup With Crispy Bacon Chives Recipe 425

Steps:

• Render the bacon until crisp, stirring frequently, in a large stockpot over medium heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan onto a platter lined with paper towels. Drain the grease from the pan, leaving 2 Tbsp remaining. Turn the heat up to medium high and add the butter, onions, leeks, garlic, and pimentos. Cook for 4-5 minutes until onions soften and develop slight color. Add the flour and stir to form a pasty roux. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the stock, beer, cream, and milk. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the soup begins to thicken. Whisk in the cheeses, cayenne, and half of the chives. Allow the cheese to melt, then season with salt and white pepper to taste. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with the crispy bacon and reserved chives, if desired.

Steps:

• In a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter or margarine. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until flour has blended with onion mixture.
• Add chicken broth and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened. Add milk and heat just to boiling, stirring constantly.
• In covered blender at medium speed, blend about 1/4 of soup mixture at a time until smooth. Return to saucepan and, over medium heat, heat just to boiling. Remove from heat.
• With wire whisk or slotted spoon, stir in cheese until melted. If cheese does not melt completely, cook over very low heat about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Combine the flour, mustard, paprika and salt; add to saucepan. Stir to make a smooth paste. , Gradually add milk and soup; cook and stir until thick, about 10 minutes. Add the cheese and chicken broth; stir until cheese is melted. Garnish with chives if desired.