Beer Cheese Soup, Ghetto Gourmet Style

312 Beer Cheese Soup w/ Brie, Chorizo and Manchego

• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 2 fennel bulbs, chopped
• 2 cups of thinly sliced celery
• 6 pack of 312 Beer (2 bottles for the soup and the other 4 for you!)
• 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon of ground coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper
• 4 tablespoons of flour
• 1 pound of cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 pound of brie cheese, sliced (leave the rind on)
• 1 stick of butter
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 8 cups water or stock
• Mexican-style chorizo, cooked and drained very well (or Soyrizo)
• Shredded manchego cheese

Heat oil and butter in a large stock pot. Add the onion, celery, fennel, cumin, coriander and crushed red pepper. Sautee on medium heat and stir frequently until everything is caramelized, which should take about 10-15 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 2 more minutes while stirring constantly. Add the beer! Stir and scrape the bottom of the stockpot to deglaze the pan (all that stuck-on stuff is really flavorful and you want in the soup, not stuck to the pan). Add the water/stock and bring everything to a light boil. Add the cheddar and brie cheese and stir to combine. Lower the heat to a low simmer and cover the pot. Cook the soup for one to two hours on low heat and stir occasionally to blend the melted cheese into the broth.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a bit of chorizo and shredded manchego cheese.

Thanks to Gaper's Block