The football World Cup finals are just around the corner and I know most of us will be holed up with a group of friends, eating greasy food and beer, and cheering one side or the other. So when I was thinking of a World Cup inspired recipe to dish out for the finals, I really wanted something that brings together all elements of a sports bar.
I love this show called Chuck's Day Off. Chuck Hughes is one of my favourite chefs and its not the first time that I've tried out his dish (my Summer Berry Pudding). I was viewing an episode where he makes these pretzels with a cheese dipping sauce. I contemplated making the pretzels, but then it struck me that the cheese sauce is the best thing to serve at the game.
The beer in the sauce is bang on, incase you don't find any during the game :P
Adapted from Chuck's Day Off
1 can of Beer (any brand, any variety)
2 cups of Cheddar cheese
1 tbsp flour
1 clove of garlic, minced
A pinch of pepper and/or chilli flakes
I liked my sauce to have a nice kick of heat so the ingredients below are optional
Optional:
1 tbsp minced Jalapeño
1 tsp paprika
In a saucepan, bring the beer to a simmer over medium heat. Grate the cheese in a bowl and dust it with flour. Add this to the beer with the garlic. Stir till the cheese has melted and the texture is smooth. Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir till combined. Keep warm till you are ready to serve.
Note: Beer and cheese are inherently salty so DO NOT add salt additionally to the dip.
Tip: This sauce is a pot of gold. It can go with anything. You can cheat it into a fondue. Use it for nachos or tacos. Pour it over cooked macaroni to make some instant mac & cheese, or even use it as pasta sauce. But it goes best with a bag of chips or fries.
