Soup for REAL MEN

[Is there an emoticon for sarcasm?]
... or, indeed, a soup for anyone who likes beer :-)

I can say "indeed" because I've been LARPing, btw. In fact it's more or less compulsory. I've been cooking my annual medivalishy feast, and I'm going to share the recipe for Beer and Cheese Soup that we served as the first course. I think it tastes great- hearty and creamy and moreish, but you do really have to like the taste of beer.

Be careful with the beer if you try this. It gives the dish a distinctly bitter aftertaste, so don't sling the whole bottle in without testing.

Ingredients:
(serves 6)
  

• Butter for frying.
• 1 Onion
• 2 Carrot
• 2 sticks Celery
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 Bay Leaf
• Stock - about a pint: vegetable or chicken.
• 1 can or bottle of real Beer (not lager) - I used about three quarters of a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale
• 1 lb Cheddar Cheese (this needs to be a good sharp cheese, none of your sliced crap)
• Whole Milk - about a mugful
• Salt and Pepper to taste
  
• 2 teaspoons Mustard - English or Dijon
• 2 teaspoons Worcester Sauce - I used a vegetarian version
• 3 tablespoons of Plain Flour

Method:

1. Chop and fry the onion, carrot and celery in the butter. Add the bay leaf. Cover and simmer until soft - about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile,  chop the garlic and grate the cheese.
3. Remove bay leaf, but retain. Add garlic and then flour, stir and cook for a couple of minutes - it'll make a thick lumpy paste.
4. Take off heat. Puree in a food processor.
5. Return to pan. Put the  bay leaf back in. Stirring, slowly add the milk, beer and stock, allowing the paste to absorb the liquid and become smooth.
6. Add mustard, worcester sauce, salt and pepper
7. Bring to the boil. Simmer 5 mins.
8. Remove bay leaf. You can throw it away this time!
9. Add the cheese, a handful at a time. When it's all melted in you're ready to serve.

Eat with good bread and butter.