Wednesday, 6:15 pm. I get home from work and immediately start doing a mental inventory of what all I’ve got stashed away in the kegerator. It didn’t take me long to decide on the Breckenridge Brewery 471 Small Batch double hopped IPA. I poured it in a glass, as I do. Then I started in on it. It was a damn fine beer, which I’ll probably have to review some other time. I’m not reviewing the beer right now because what followed my drinking about half of the bomber is much more interesting at the moment.
As much as I was enjoying the beer, I needed to come up with a plan for dinner STAT. Just like that, it came to me. “I need to enjoy the second half of this beverage with some sort of cheese… and it’s a little chilly out. I’m thinking I need to make broccoli cheddar soup… with beer in it! ” It was the greatest idea I’d had in some time, I could feel it.
Fast forward 23 minutes later, ingredients in hand…
1/4 cup of butter
1 lb block of cheddar
2 lbs of broccoli
1 medium yellow onion
1/2 cup of flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 quart of vegetable broth
3 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste
and about three fingers up on my pint glass of the DIPA mentioned previously
1. Dice the onion and garlic and cook them together in the butter, on medium heat, for about 5 minutes.
2. Add broccoli to heat and cover for another 5.
3. Add broth and beer, turn heat up to high and cover until boiling.
4. Combine milk and flour in a bowl and mix well.
5. Slowly whisk the milk/flour mixture into the boiling pot and lower heat to med-high.
6. Slowly add grated cheddar to pot, stirring continuously.
7. Once cheese is melted add salt and pepper, stir well, lower heat again and cover. Let simmer for as long as you can stand it. Serve with some nice crusty bread.
