Today's meal . . . .

A Stout, Cheese and Beef Soup

This one’s from my friend George, who is a professional cook, and therefore finds a recipe that requires a hunk of cooked roast beef to be an ordinary thing.

Ingredients

3 to 4 pounds of roasted beef (i.e. leftovers!), cut into chunks

2 to 4 whole cloves garlic

1.5 pounds. cheddar cheese cubes

Three pressurized cans Guinness or other stout (Murphy's, Beamish, etc), room temperature but unopened. (You get to drink the fourth).

Two small yellow onions, diced (optional)

Salt and pepper

Steps

1. Put cooked beef chunks and garlic into pot, adding just enough water to almost cove. .

2. Bring to boil, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add more water a little at a time to keep from running dry.

3. Remove meat from water and let cool, then pull apart if possible or cut into very small pieces. Discard any visible fat.

4. Return meat to broth in pot and slowly add stout, foam and all. If adding onions, do so with this step.

5. Bring to a boil, then set on lowest heat or place in crock pot on medium high setting.

6. Add cheese cubes and stir to mix in.

7. If simmering on stovetop, simmer for about one hour, stirring frequently.

8. If using crock pot, after the initial stir, let alone for one or two hours then stir before serving.

9. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

NOTE: Even if you skim the broth ahead of time, the cheese will cause a layer of fat to form on top. Skim or not, your choice. This will get VERY hot, so eat carefully.