Favorite Recipe: Beer Cheese Soup & Fried Green Tomatoes

I decided to try out some new recipes for the new year, and I stumbled upon a couple of new hits with dinner last night. The Husby has been asking me to try making a Beer Cheese soup, so after some research and taking bits and pieces from a few different recipes, I came up with a great soup for those chilly days. Since I want to be Paula Deen when I grow up, I thought the meal needed a Southern twist. What better to make this a hearty meal than some fried green tomatoes with a little bit of remoulade sauce on the side. After The Hubsy went back for thirds, I thought this one should be added to the favorites list. Enjoy!
Beer Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

2 celery ribs

1/2 medium onion

1 Bay leaf

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1-3/4 cups chicken broth

1 (12-ounce) bottle ale (Newcastle or Bass)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

16 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

1) Add onion and celery to food processor and blend until liquid consistency. You want the consistency to be as smooth as possible.

2) Melt butter in a 4-quart heavy saucepan. Add onion and celery mixture and Bay leaf to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

3) Reduce heat to medium-low and sprinkle flour over vegetables. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.

4) Add milk, broth, and beer, and whisk together. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally, for 5 minutes.

5) Stir in Worcestershire, mustard, salt and pepper.

6) Add cheese by the handful, stirring constantly, cooking until cheese is melted. Let simmer 4 minutes. Discard Bay leaf.

7) Serve soup sprinkled with crumbled bacon.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Remoulade Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 and 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

4 green tomatoes

2 cups Japanese panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1) In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

3) Slice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch slices (about 5 slices per tomato). Dip the slices into the batter and coat thoroughly.

4) Cover both sides with panko bread crumbs. Add to oil in pan and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve with remoulade sauce on the side.

Remoulade Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

2/3 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons chili sauce

1 tablespoon Creole mustard

2 teaspoons hot sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 and 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped capers

Directions:

To prepare remoulade, combine all ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate.