Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Soup Recipes

SIMON PEARCE VERMONT CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy stockpot.
• Add onions & garlic and cook 'til soft.
• Add flour to butter and onion mixture, stirring to combine well.
• Turn heat very low.
• Stir occasionally, and cook 10-15 minutes.
• Add chicken stock incrementally, stirring with whisk until smooth after each addition.
• Add chopped thyme, bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook over medium heat 5-10 minutes more until smooth and creamy, watching closely.
• Stir in grated cheese.
• In separate saucepan, bring water to a boil.
• Add celery and carrots, cooking until just tender, about 1 minute.
• Rinse with cold water and drain well.
• Add celery and carrots to large stockpot.
• Stir in half & half and heavy cream.
• Stir soup well.
• Optional: garnish with fresh thyme sprigs
• Serve hot, but don't overheat or the soup will curdle.

SIMON PEARCE VERMONT CHEDDAR SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large, heavy Dutch oven. Add the onions and celery and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and stir in, cooking until fragrant. Add the butter, whisking to form a roux and cook for a minute or two until thickened.
• Add in the chicken stock, a bit at a time at first, whisking well after each addition until the mixture loosens up enough to add the rest. Add in the thyme and continue to cook, whisking often, bringing up to a simmer, until the soup begins to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon and leaves a distinct line when a finger is run across, about 15 minutes or so after coming to a simmer.
• While the soup is cooking, add the carrots to a small, microwaveable bowl with 1/4 cup of water, cover, and microwave until just tender, two to three minutes. Rinse and drain well. Once the soup has thickened, stir the carrots into the soup.
• Turn off the heat and in small handfuls, add the cheese, whisking after each addition until melted and smooth before adding the next. Stir in the cream. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper as desired. If necessary, add half and half or milk to bring to desired consistency. The soup should be still warm enough to serve, if not bring up to temperature slowly and gently, but do not boil.
• Garnish with chives or fried shallots.
• Note: for fried shallots, follow the recipe for Copycat French's Crispy Onion Rings just substitute shallots for the onions.
• Slightly adapted from the Mill at Simon Pearce

VERMONT CHEDDAR AND ALE SOUP

Steps:

• In butter sweat onion, carrots, celery and pepper over medium heat for 15 minutes, until soft. Add thyme, potato, and chicken stock; simmer until potato is soft, about 15 minutes. While this is simmering, make the roux: melt 1/2 cup butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour, stir 5 minutes; do not brown. When potato is soft, whisk roux into pot; stir and allow to thicken. Add beer, continue to stir. Add milk; stir to combine; allow to simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mustard, sauces, salt and pepper; taste to adjust seasonings. Whisk in cheddar, taste again. Do not allow soup to boil after adding cheese. Pour into bowls, topping each bowl with 2 tablespoons grated cheddar and a little fresh parsley.