Everyone who has ever tried this says it’s spectacular. Even my mom, who doesn’t like cheese, likes this soup, which is saying a lot. The soup itself is an awesome combination of cheese and onions. And the soda bread is so nice and crunchy on the outside and squishy on the inside. It’s quite perfect. The only proper way to eat this is to dip the bread in the soup, which means it’s an excuse to eat a lot of bread. This is a great cold weather food, although sometimes in summer I suffer through eating it with the air-conditioning turned way up.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　

Soda Bread

Oil or cooking spray

　　3 1/2 cups flour

　　1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1 teaspoon baking powder

　　1 teaspoon baking soda

　　8 ounces sour cream

　　3/4 cup skim milk

　　3 tablespoons sugar

　　5 tablespoons melted butter

　　

Soup

2 onions

　　1/4 cup butter

　　1/3 cup flour

　　2 1/2 cups water

　　1 vegetable bouillon cube

　　2 1/2 cups milk

　　Salt and pepper

　　2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

　　

Step 1

To prepare the bread: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with oil or cooking spray.

　　

Step 2

Combine the flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Combine the sour cream, milk, and sugar in another bowl. Add the sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until blended. Stir in 4 tablespoons of the melted butter. Turn the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet and shape into a mounded circle about 8 inches in diameter. Brush the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until browned. Cool completely before slicing.

　　

Step 3

To prepare the soup: Peel the onions and cut into thin slices. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the water, bouillon cube, and milk and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the cheese, and stir until completely melted. Serve the soup immediately with the soda bread on the side.

　　

food trivia

Step 4

Irish soda bread wasn’t invented by the Irish. It’s actually credited to Native Americans, but by the 1840s baking soda–leavened bread had become popular in Ireland—maybe because yeast was more expensive than soda.

　　College Vegetarian Cooking