Warm up on a chilly winter night or impress your family and friends over the holidays with this homemade Idiazabal Cheese Soup recipe courtesy of Chef Chris Hastings, owner of Ovenbird and Hot & Hot Fish Club (opening soon in Pepper Place)! This delicious recipe is sure to be a crowd favorite and is also super easy to make.

If you end up making this recipe, be sure to share a photo on social media and tag both @pepperplacebham and @ovenbirdbham – We would love to see!

Homemade Idiazabal Cheese Soup

Prep time: Approximately 1 hour

Serving Size: Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS
  • 200g Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1.4kg onion, diced
  • 150g garlic, sliced
  • 600g mushroom scrap
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 3.5kg water (if raw milk is available, sub)
  • 3.4kg heavy cream (if raw milk is available, sub)
  • 260g white wine
  • 1.7kg Idiazabal Cheese
  • 75 muscadine grapes
  • White Balsamic Vinegar
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Sweat the onion and garlic in the extra virgin olive oil until tender.
  2. Add the mushrooms and a sprig of thyme and continue cooking.
  3. Deglaze with white wine and reduce by half.
  4. Add the water and cream and then the cheese. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes and then let steep for 15 minutes.
  5. Remove the thyme and puree in a Vitamix on high.
  6. Pass through a chinois (or strainer) and season with salt and pepper. Pass again and hold for service.
  7. Then, heat a large cast iron skillet until very hot. Meanwhile, halve the grapes and remove all the seeds.
  8. Add a very thin film of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the pan and then the grapes. Sear for 30 seconds and add a little white balsamic to the pan.
  9. Once reduced, remove to a sheet tray and cool. Hold at room temperature for service.

Top with toasted pecans and additional Idiazabal Cheese before serving. Enjoy!