Cheese Vegetable Chowder

Cuisine, October 1981

45 minutes — 8 1 Cup Servings

Ingredients

1	cup	water
2	small	potatoes (pared & diced)
1⁄2	cup	carrots (pared & diced)
1⁄3	cup	celery (pared & diced)
1⁄2	cup	onion (chopped)
4	tablespoon	unsalted butter
1⁄4	cup	all-purpose flour
2	cup	chicken stock
1 1⁄2	cup	milk
1⁄2	teaspoon	salt
2	cup	cheddar cheese (or monterey jack cheese, shredded)
1⁄8	teaspoon	baking soda
		ground black pepper
		paprika
		fresh parsley (minced)

Instructions

Place water, potatoes, carrot, and celery in small saucepan. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cook until vegetables are barely tender, about 12 minutes; reserve vegetables and cooking liquid.

Sauté onion in butter in small Dutch oven over medium heat until transparent, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour until smooth, cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in stock. Add milk and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles for 1 minute.

Stir in cheese and baking soda. Add reserved vegetables and cooking liquid. Heat over medium heat just until soup is very hot. Remove from heat. Season to taste with pepper. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley. Serve immediately.