Cheddar Cheese Soup
Awesome soup. You can use any type of Cheddar you wish. I happen to like Sharp Cheddar.
Awesome soup. You can use any type of Cheddar you wish. I happen to like Sharp Cheddar.
- Carbohydrate 22.322493928057 g
- Cholesterol 117.695000066039 mg
- Fat 22.3087707868336 g
- Fiber 0.87240754513534 g
- Protein 19.7452352459611 g
- Saturated Fat 12.1665933993169 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (485g)
- Sodium 1357.60641969535 mg
- Sugar 21.4500863829216 g
- Trans Fat 1.24376903236445 g
- Calories 370 calories
Step-by-step
- Chop the vegetables.
- Pour the chicken broth into a medium sized saucepan.
- Add the vegetables and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered for 45 min.
- Strain the vegetables. In a small bowl mix the cornstarch and water to form a paste. Stir into the broth and cook until slightly thickened. Add the cheese and cook until the cheese melts.
- Add the white pepper, nutmeg and salt to taste.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk into the cream. Stir in 1/2 cup of the soup and mix well. Add to the soup, stirring rapidly.
- Cook for 2 minutes, being careful that is does not boil
- Top with chopped chives for garnish and serve.
Sharp cheddar drives this entire recipe, supplying both the assertive salinity and the fat network that must remain emulsified. Good stock anchors that cheese, extracting aromatic compounds from the onion, leek, and celery during a patient 45-minute simmer before those solids are strained away.
- Equipment matters most here; deploy a heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan to distribute heat evenly and prevent the dairy solids from scorching on the base.
- Whisk the cornstarch and water into a smooth, lump-free slurry before adding it to the simmering broth, or the starch molecules will bond unevenly.
- Temper the cream and egg yolk mixture by slowly incorporating half a cup of warm soup before returning it to the pot; direct heat will instantly scramble the yolk at 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Keep the burner strictly below a simmer after the dairy goes in, as boiling breaks the emulsion and results in a greasy, separated texture.
- Grate the cheddar from a block rather than buying pre-shredded bags, avoiding the cellulose coatings that inhibit smooth melting.
Precision prevents separation. Watch the heat closely from the final dairy addition onward.
