Cheddar Potato-Beer Soup With Shredded Ham - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
10 baby carrots
5 red potatoes, peeled,cut into large pieces
1 onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper, red pepper flakes
1 (12 ounce) bottle beer
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth or (14 1/2 ounce) cans vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup cooked ham, shredded or julienned

Preparation

Heat butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add carrots, potatoes and onion; cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Add salt and pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.
Add beer; heat to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits.
Add chicken broth; heat to a boil.
Cook until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 12 minutes.
Pour soup, in batches if necessary, into blender or food processor (or use a hand-held'boat motor' blender).
Puree and return to saucepan.
Stir in cheese; heat, stirring, until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
Taste for seasoning; add more pepper flakes if needed.
Ladle into bowls.
Top each with shredded ham.