Ploughman's Soup

An old English recipe. Please take your time caramelizing the onions - it's well worth the time & effort. Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest recorded cheeses in British history. It is dense and semi-hard, and is defined by its moist, crumbly texture and mild, salty taste. Industrial versions tend to be drier and less crumbly, more like a mild Cheddar cheese, as this makes them easier to process than cheese with the traditional texture.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons butter
• 2  medium onions, peeled and chopped
• 1⁄4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2  cups  chicken stock
• 1  cup  light ale (do not substitute beer)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1⁄2 cups  crumbled cheshire cheese
•  salt and pepper, to taste
•  vidalia onion rings (for garnish) or 1  slice scallion (for garnish)

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy pan. Gently saute the onion until golden. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, then gradually whisk in the stock and ale. Return to the heat and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce.
2. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cheese. Stir in the remaining cheese, a bit at a time (keeping the heat low), until the cheese is all melted. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish each bowl with the reserved cheese and the onions.