Tim and I are attending a series of wine and cheese pairing classes at our local HyVee store. It's so interesting to see how the different cheeses affect the taste of the wine. Perfect timing to try a recipe using a cheese we tasted and enjoy a glass of wine in the new glasses. One of our tastings was a smoky blue cheese and a white wine. One our favorite restaurants in town serves a fantastic blue cheese burger. I picked up some smoky blue to use in burgers. Knowing the burgers wouldn't use the entire package of cheese, I began searching for another recipe to use the rest of the smoky blue. I settled on this recipe for Smoky Blue Cheese Mashed Potato Soup. A little smoky blue goes along way, so be careful with the crumbles for the top, you don't want to over power the delicious creamy mashed potatoes! Paired with a sandwich or salad, this makes for a comforting meal!
Smoky Blue Cheese Mashed Potato Soup
Recipe Courtesy of Wisconsin Cheese TalkServes 4
4 bacon slices
1 medium onion, diced, about 2 cups
2 cloves garlic, minced
Two 14.4-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth or 3 1/2 cups homemade broth
3 cups mashed potatoes (see recipe below)
1/2 cup Blue cheese, crumbled, about 3 ounces
Garnish
4 scallions, minced
1/4 cup smoke-flavored Blue cheese, crumbled, about 1 1/2 ounces
Cook bacon in heavy, large pot over medium heat until brown and crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels. Crumble bacon and set aside to use as a garnish.
Spoon off all but a tablespoon of bacon drippings from pot. Add onion, celery and garlic, season with salt. Sauté over low heat for 10 minutes or until onions are golden, but not brown. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Blend in the mashed potatoes and Blue cheese. Puree soup in batches in a blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with Blue cheese, bacon and scallions just before serving.
Mashed Potatoes
2-3 large potatoes, about 1 1/2 lbs
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Peel the potatoes and cut into small chunks, place in a pot, cover with cold water. Boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the water, then add the butter and milk and mash with a potato masher in the pot. Season with salt.
I am linking this to On the Menu Monday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday!!!
Wine Enthusiast sent me a set of Fusion White Wine glasses! All opinions expressed are my own!