Recipe: Tomato Lager Soup

4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter

1 large white onion, sliced thin

5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 jalapeño, including seeds, chopped

3 bottles Yuengling lager

6 cups canned whole tomatoes in their juice

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

1/2 cup diced onion

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño, and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables become tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the lager and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly reduced and the flavors have blended, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Using a blender, working in batches, puree the soup until smooth. (If necessary, strain the soup through a mesh strainer to remove any particles that won't blend.) Return the pureed soup to the pot. Add the diced fresh tomatoes and diced onion and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes more.

4. Taste, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

From chef Scott Schroeder of South Philly Tap Room