Hooray Beer!

The title of this post may seem strange coming from me (and more than a little late for St. Patty’s day), as I’ve gone on record regarding my dislike of brews more than once. It’s not that I don’t want to like beer, or think that I’m too high-brow for it (please, I love Trader Joe’s Two-Buck Chuck), it’s just I’ve never been able to develop a taste or appreciation for it. I enjoy a nice, fruity cider beer every now and again, but the dark stuff—forget it. (I once turned down a free pint of Guinness. From the Guinness factory. In Dublin.)

However, none of the above is to say that I won’t cook with beer. My first wine pick would never be a rich, woodsy pinot noir, but that doesn’t keep me from enjoying the depth of flavor it adds to sauces and stews. Similarly, I was attracted to the original recipe I found for this dish because I thought it would be a fun challenge to incorporate beer into a traditional broccoli and cheese soup. I attempted to up the ante a bit by using a blend of four cheeses and a zing of Worcestershire and hot sauce, but I think you’ll still recognize the comforting, velvety richness of this childhood soup-staple, now featuring a very grown-up addition.

Beer, Broccoli and Four Cheese Soup
Serves 4.

4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. dry mustard
8 oz. beer (try Heineken or Bass)
3 c. chicken broth or stock
1 ½ tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce
1 c. whole milk or half-and-half
12 oz. sharp Cheddar, grated
4 oz. mozzarella
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
¼ c. grated Parmesan
8 oz. frozen broccoli florets, thawed and separated into small pieces
handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
sea salt and black pepper

In a large soup pot, sauté the onion and carrots in the butter over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the flour, paprika and mustard over the vegetables and stir to combine. Cook 2 minutes, without allowing the flour to brown.

Whisk in the beer and simmer until just thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, Worcestershire and hot sauce and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add in the milk, cheddar, mozzarella, cream cheese and Parmesan and whisk until all are melted and combined. Add in the broccoli and simmer (without boiling) 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve garnished with the chopped parsley.