Course: Soup

Cook40 Min

Serves

Ingredients

• 2 medium leeks, white and pale green parts only, cut into 1/4-inch dice 2 cups (you can sub onions if you need to)
  
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice, 1 cup
• 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice, 1 cup
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
• ¹⁄₂ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• ¹⁄₃ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 ³⁄₄ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, 14 fl oz
• 1 (12-oz) bottle ale such as Newcastle Brown
  
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb extra-sharp Cheddar, preferably English rind removed if necessary, grated 4 cups
• 4 bacon slices (3 1/2 oz total), cooked and crumbled

Wash leeks in a bowl of cold water, agitating water, then lift out leeks and drain in a colander.

Cook leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, and bay leaf in butter in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderately low and sprinkle flour over vegetables, then cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add milk, broth, and beer in a stream, whisking, then simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper.

Add cheese by handfuls, stirring constantly, and cook until cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes (do not boil). Discard bay leaf.

Serve sprinkled with bacon.