Tomato-Cheddar Soup
Pure Flavor
Kurt Beecher Dammeier (founder of Beecher's Handmade Cheese, Seattle)
Yield: 6 cups, 4 servings

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
½ medium onion, diced
1 29-ounce can plus 1 14½-ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree
¾ tsp. white pepper
¾ tsp. kosher salt
10 ounces semihard cheese, grated(2½ cups)
½ cup heavy cream

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté until soft but not brown, about 4 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, 2½ cups water, pepper and salt. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cheese and cream and stir until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Serve hot. The soup will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Gently reheat over low heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning.

The following are semihard cheeses (cheeses which contain not more than 54 to 63 percent moisture and are sliceable): Cheddar, Gruyère, Swiss, Gouda, Provolone and Emmenthaler. Beecher semihard cheeses include: Beecher's Flagship, Bellwether Farms San Andreas, Grafton Village Cheddar, Oregon Gourmet Sublimity, and Pleasant Valley Smoked Gouda.
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