© Mad About the Mouse
If there’s one thing I love, it’s dining around Walt Disney World resort. Dining has become a significant part of the whole Disney vacation experience for many, especially with the international cuisines around Epcot’s World Showcase. With that in mind, it’s always fun to try and recreate certain recipes I have tried at Disney, especially when I need a taste of my favorite place.
One of the most popular reservations to secure is Le Cellier Steakhouse located in the Canada Pavilion. I am a fan of their filets and their maple creme brûlée but that’s not what draws me there. The one thing that I absolutely have to have is Le Cellier Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup. I make it at home often and now you can make it at home too.
The Canadian Cheddar Cheese soup is rich and creamy and definitely can hit the spot on a cold, wintery day. It is a meal all in itself – pair it with a nice crusty bread and a glass of merlot and your belly with be happy. The ingredients are simple yet the finished product is elegant enough to serve as your first course for a formal Christmas dinner.
While the original recipe calls for Neuske’s Peppered Bacon and Moosehead Lager, I have a hard time finding those brands where I live. I either use Wright’s or Smithfield’s hickory smoked bacon and whatever pale ale I have on hand. This time, I used Samuel Adams Octoberfest and it gave the soup a wonderful flavor.
© Mad About the Mouse
It is also important to use freshly grated white cheddar cheese. Of course, you could take a short cut and buy sharp yellow cheddar already grated but your recipe will not turn out the way it is supposed to. The pre-packaged cheddars are coated with a preservative to prevent it from sticking and will not do well in your soup recipe.
The trick to making your recipe perfect is “low and slow”. It takes about an hour from beginning to end and if you try to rush through it you may just ruin your work. Also, stirring is key to making this recipe perfect. When in doubt, stir stir stir! Ready to make this recipe at home? Here we go….
© Mad About the Mouse
Here’s what you will need:
- 1/2 pound bacon cut into 1/4” pieces
- 1 medium red onion cut into 1/4” pieces
- 3 celery ribs cut into 1/4” pieces
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 pound freshly grated white cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
- 1/2 cup pale ale, room temperature
- Course salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- Crumbled bacon for garnish
- Chopped scallions or chives for garnish
© Mad About the Mouse
- In a 4-5 quart dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Add the red onion, the celery and the butter and cook until the onion and celery have softened. Again stirring constantly.
- Reduce the heat to medium. This is where you will make your roux. Stir in the flour and cook for approximately 4 minutes. The vegetables and the bacon will be coated nicely in this step and you will want the flour to get a slight brown color.
- Whisk in the chicken stock, stirring constantly to avoid any lumps and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, constantly stirring. The mixture will become very thick in this step.
- Add the milk, again stirring constantly, and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. It is important to remember NOT to allow the milk to boil in this step. Scalded milk will ruin the recipe.
- Remove from the heat and gradually add the grated cheddar, stirring constantly for a creamy consistency. Once all of the cheese is melted and the soup is smooth, add the Worchestershire and Tabasco sauces.
- Stir in the pale ale slowly. The ale will make the soup bubble a bit. Stir to mix completely.
- Serve the soup piping hot and garnish with crumbled bacon and chives or scallions.
Enjoy this rich creaminess with a nice Merlot, Cabernet or your favorite red wine.
© Mad About the Mouse
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