Cooking with Hope Beer: IPA Cheese Dip

In our last two cooking with Hope beer recipes Kate showed you how to make scrumptious main courses and this time around she’s made an incredibly flavoursome and versatile cheese dip using our Handsome Jack IPA.

Like us, she’s a big cheese fan and while she picked out Irish cheddar and Gruyère cheese for this recipe you can go with pretty much any kind of cheese so feel free to use your favourite or add a little more or less than what’s listed below in the ingredients.

You can also customise the final sauce by adding scallions, a dash of hot sauce, smoked or crispy bacon to it; anything you like really! Not only is it a great dip for crusty bread, pretzels or freshly prepared vegetables such as carrots or celery you can also pour it over pasta and bake in oven. It really is that versatile!

While you are making this you’ll also enjoy the great aroma as result of the beer combining with the melted sauce. It works best with a full flavoured beer like an IPA and that’s why Kate went with Handsome Jack….nothing to do with it being her favourite Hope beer!

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp corn flour

1 tsp Dijon mustard

200g grated mature Irish cheddar cheese

150g grated Gruyère cheese

150ml Handsome Jack IPA

100ml milk

For the spice mix:

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

Method

In a heavy based pan, melt the butter then add the corn flour. Stir well for about two minutes in order to create a smooth paste. Add the Dijon mustard and the spices and mix it around ensuring everything is incorporated.

Add the milk and keep stirring to avoid any lumps forming. If it starts to get too thick take it off the heat while you stir. Add the all-important Handsome Jack IPA. As before keep stirring to ensure lumps don’t form and the mixture remains smooth and cook for another 3 minutes.

Then add in both cheeses and stir, stir stir until the cheeses are melted into the dip. Stirring is the key to the sauce so by the end you get a lovely thick consistency and if it’s too thick for your liking simply add a little more beer.