Beer, Cheese & Potato Soup with Sausage-Pretzel Crumble

Serves 4 as an appetizer 

The cheese & beer is front and centre in this rich soup!   With a fun topping (einlagen!) of sausage and buttery pretzels, it is addictive bite after bite!  This is Oktoberfest in a bowl, but we are certain you’ll be making it year-round!  

2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
1⁄4 lb. / 125 g grated cheese, such as an aged cheddar, gouda or gruyere-type cheese

2 tbsp. butter
1 large cooking onion, thinly sliced
1 rib celery, finely diced
1⁄2 tsp. ground cardamom
1⁄2 lb. yellow fleshed potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1-cup beer (a lager works well!)
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
1⁄2 lb. Oktoberfest sausage meat
1 large pretzel
1⁄2 shallot, finely diced, optional
Salt & pepper, as needed

1. In a small pot melt butter and stir in flour to make a light roux
2. Slowly stir in milk. Bring to a simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes
3. Turn off heat and stir in cheese. Set aside
4. In another pot, melt butter and sweat onion and celery until soft but not browned.
5. Stir in cardamom, potatoes and beer. Let simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce the beer, and then add in the water and bay leaves. Simmer until potatoes are very soft. Blend until smooth in blender or with hand blender.
6. Meanwhile, make pretzel topping (einlagen): in a frying pan over medium-high heat, fry sausage until crisp. Stir in shallot, if using, sauté for about a minute and stir in pretzel pieces. Stir to coat in fat, reduce heat to low and allow the pretzel to crisp, 2-3 minutes.   
7. Fold the cheese sauce into the blended potato soup and taste for seasoning.   Rewarm over medium-low heat if necessary. 
8. Ladle into bowls and top with a generous amount of sausage- pretzel einlagen!