Figgy Yule Cookies

photo by Heather Hanson

Now bring us some figgy pudding! In cookie form of course! To wrap up the holiday cookie pairings with Boom Island Brewing, I adapted this cookie to feature their holiday release, Yule. Yule is a Belgian Strong Ale, brewed with a different fruit addition each year. This year's fruit was black currant. Instead of featuring a currant studded treat, I opted for a classic Christmas dessert in cookie form. The figs are simmered in Yule for an extra kick and in is mixed into the icing in lieu of brandy.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Recipe adpated from Food 52

Yields about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients
For the cookies

• 8-10 large dried Turkish figs, diced
• 1 cup Yule
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks) softened
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp orange zest

For the icing

• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp Yule
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

• In a small saucepan, simmer the figs and Yule until the figs are soft, about 15 minutes. Strain figs and set aside.
• Mix together the flour, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Set aside
• Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg until well combined.
• Slowly add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Fold in the strained figs and orange zest.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare baking sheets by lining in parchment paper.
• On a well floured surface, roll out the dough about 1/8” thick. Cut into 2” rounds. Arrange on baking sheets about 1” apart.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown along the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• In a small saucepan over medium low heat, whisk together the powdered sugar, Yule, butter and vanilla extract. Simmer, stirring frequently, until smooth and well combined.
• Drizzle icing onto cooled cookies
• ENJOY!

Witbier Cookies

photo by Heather Hanson Photography LLC

If witbier were a cookie, this would be it. These are sure to add a bit of citrus-y joy to your holiday! 

The thing that surprised em the most when I tackled this recipe was the beer reduction. I've made reductions with stouts, porters and sours before. Bute never a wheat beer. And never reduced down so far. The resulting syrup was malty and sweet with just a hint of the orange and cardamom used in the beer. I'm tempted to reduce another batch to play around with. Ice cream toppings, a salmon glaze, or perhaps a dash in a cocktail or two?

 Recipe adapted from Food Republic 

Yields about 4 dozen cookies 

Ingredients 

for the cookies

• 2 – 12 oz bottles of Witbier
• 5 Tbsp honey
• ¾ cup unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), softened
• 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda

for the glaze

• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp orange zest
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 1 Tbsp heavy cream
• 1 cup powdered sugar

  Preparation

• Combine the beer and honey in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan. Over medium heat, bring the beer to a gentle boil, skimming foam as needed. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (this may take up to an hour). Allow to cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and well combine. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Add the coriander, orange zest and beer reduction, mixing until just combined.
• Combine the flour and baking soda. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
• Drop batter by heaping Tbsp onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• For the icing, whisk together the vanilla, zest, orange juice, cream and powdered sugar. Spoon a dollop onto each cookie and spread icing to the edges. Allow to set 15-20 minutes before serving.
• ENJOY!

Framboise Lemon Bars

 

Photo by Heather Hanson Weddings

Lemon and raspberries may seem like more of a summer treat, but these bars will add a refreshing palette cleanser among all of those other holiday sweets. Lemon Bars marry well with any number of beers, but for the raspberry kick, Framboise seemed the most appropriate. This sour style of fruit beer is readily available at most liquor stores. Lindemans is by far the best known, but I'm sure you can find any number of local or other export varieties on the shelves! These bars were made with Boom Island's Framboise, which is only available from their taproom. And sadly, very limited quantities remain.

The recipe is my own

Yields 24-28 bars

Ingredients
For the crust

• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup Framboise

For the filling

• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup flour
• juice and zest of 2 lemons
• ¼ cup pureed raspberries
• ½ cup Framboise
• 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• powdered sugar for garnish
• raspberries for garnish

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
• Whisk together the powdered sugar, flour, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in the Framboise until just combined.
• Press crust into an ungreased 9” x 13” baking dish. A pint glass works wonderfully to roll the surface into a smooth, even layer.
• Bake the crust for 25-30 minutes, or until just beginning to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Whisk together the eggs, flour, lemon juice, zest, raspberries, Framboise, sugar and salt. Pour the mixture on top of the cooled crust.
• Bake lemon bars for 20-25 minutes for until the filling is set and just slightly jiggles in the center. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Refrigerate for at least two hours., preferably overnight
• Before serving, cut chilled bars into 24-28 pieces. Dust generously with powdered sugar. Top each bar with a fresh raspberry.
• ENJOY!

Spiced Cheesecake with Black Currant Sauce

This cheesecake is the last recipe of my Thanksgiving collaboration with Boom Island Brewing Company. Every holiday season the brewery releases a Belgian holiday brew, dubbed Yule. Yule is a potent beer...upwards of 12%-13% ABV. A Belgian dark strong ale is probably the closest style one could use to describe it. Each year this holiday treat is brewed with a different fruit. This year...black currant.

To match the richness of the boozy backbone and rich malt, I felt a cheesecake was appropriate. The spices are a nod to the holiday season...cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. And the gingersnap crust of course! The topping I opted for a black currant jam (far easier to find than fresh or frozen black currants this time of year) to tie into the fruit undertones of this beer. Raspberries, blackberries or blueberries would be equally as welcome.

This cheesecake was a treat to come up with. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

The recipe is my own

serves 10-12

Ingredients
for the crust
• 25-30 gingersnap cookies (2 cups finely ground)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ tsp salt

for the filling
• 24 oz cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 ½ cups sour cream
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp of allspice
• ½ tsp salt

for the topping
• 1 cup black currant jam

Preparation
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Place gingersnap cookies in a food processor. Cover and process until the cookies are the texture of very coarse sand. Add butter, brown sugar salt, and cinnamon. Process until well combined. Transfer mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch spring form pan. Using the smooth bottom of a glass, press the crumbs down into the base and 1-inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Once chilled, place spring form pan on a baking sheet and bake until crust is fragrant and set, about 10 minutes.
• In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the sour cream, cream cheese and sugars until smooth and free of lumps, 1-2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined. Stir vanilla, spices and salt. Pour into crust.
• Lower oven temperature to 325°F. Set the cheesecake on a baking sheet and bake for 60-65 minutes, or until the center is mostly set, but still jiggles slightly. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the spring form pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate.
• Spread a thin layer of currant jam over the top of the cheesecake. Enjoy!

IPA Cranberry Sauce

photo by Heather Hanson

Nix the canned cranberry sauce this year and make this homemade sauce using your favorite IPA! IPAs can become even more bitter when boiled or reduced, so I chose add it at the end. This late addition allows the more delicate hops flavors and aromas to shine through. IPAs with citrus, floral or tropical fruit notes work best with the tart cranberries. Please celebrate responsibly. The alcohol does not cook out of this one. While there is not enough beer included to get anyone tipsy, do take care to inform guests that alcohol is included in the dish.

the recipe is my own

serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 – 12 oz package fresh or frozen whole cranberries
• ¾ cup water
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tsp orange zest
• ½ cup IPA

Preparation

• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat combine the water and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
• Add the cranberries and orange zest. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the berries burst and the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the beer. 
• Serve warm or chill until ready to serve.

Dubbel Mashed Sweet Potatoes

On to the next Thanksgiving side!

Forget the marshmallows and pecans. Serve up these mashed sweet potatoes with a surprising twist! A Belgian dubbel's subtle spice and banana notes will sing when served alongside this dish. Again, I turned to Boom Island for their HooDoo Dubbel. Chimay Red, Ommegang Abbey, Goose Island's Pere Jacque and Rochefort 6 will work wonderfully in a pinch. Or omit the beer all together and stir in chicken or vegetable stock instead.

Recipe adapted from Rachel Ray
 
serves 8

Ingredients:
• 3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 overripe banana, sliced
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 1 cup Belgian dubbel (or stock)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
• Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with 1 to 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook potatoes until tender. Drain potatoes and set aside.
• Return the pot to the stove top over medium heat. Add butter and bananas to the pot. Cook bananas 5 minutes and add the juice of 1 orange to the pot, reserve the zest. Allow the juice to cook out, 1 minute.
• Add the potatoes to the pot along with the Hoodoo and brown sugar. Mash potatoes, banana, stock and sugar together until well combined. Season with nutmeg, salt, pepper and orange zest, to your taste.
• Mash to combine spices and serve

Spatchcocked Turkey with Cloves and Orange

 

Photo by Heather Hanson

We should draw our attention to the turkey before the big day arrives. 

I loved this bird more than any other turkey I've ever made. I've taken to brining most turkeys, but the time and room in the fridge can be prohibitive. This bird does need to spend the night before hand in the fridge, but the fear of brine leaking everywhere is no longer a concern. 

This is a smaller turkey, only 10-12 pounds which will still feed a fair number of people. 

The true beauty of this turkey is the cooking time. Spatchcocking...cutting out the spine and spreading it flat, breast side up, cuts down the roasting time to about 90 minutes. The breast remained unbelieveably moist, the dark meat still has time to cook through, and because the bird was flayed open far more of the skin roasted to that perfect crispy golden brown.

So what beer to pair?

Pair with a Belgian Tripel.  Again, as a collaboration with Boom Island, we opted for their Brimsone Tripel. Tripels are a farily common Belgian style. Often corked and caged, these big bottles make quite the presentation at the dinner table. If you can't find Brimstone try Unibroue's La Fin Du Monde, Westmalle's Trappist Tripel, Chimay White or Tripel Karmeliet.

"The centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner needs an equally impressive beer to join at the table. Brimstone's higher alcohol and effervescent carbonation holds its own against the richness of the turkey, while the hints of clove and honey from the beer help pick up the spices and citrus used in the basting oil."

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

serves 10-12

Ingredients:
• 4 tsp ground coriander
• ½ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup finely grated orange zest
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp rosemary
• 1 Tbsp thyme
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 10–12 lb. turkey
• 2 medium onions, quartered
• 4 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise
• 4 celery stalks, halved crosswise
• 2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 wide strips orange zest
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• ½ cup Belgian Pale Ale

Preparation:
• Combine coriander, salt, orange zest, brown sugar, rosemary, thyme, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Place the turkey breast-side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp kitchen shears and some muscle power, cut along both sides of the spine and remove. Flip the turkey breast side up, spreading open as much as possible. Press down on breastbone to flatten. You should hear a crack and feel the bones give way. Rub the entire turkey with salt mixture. Place turkey, skin side up, on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, overnight.
• Preheat oven to 450°. Arrange onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in a roasting pan. Rinse turkey, pat dry, and place, skin side up, on top of the vegetables. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil, orange zest strips and cloves in a small saucepan until oil is sizzling, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
• Brush turkey with oil, and add ½ cup of Silvius to the pan. Roast turkey, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue to roast, rushing with oil every 20 minutes, until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°, about 1 hour longer. Transfer to a platter; tent
with foil and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

Apple Sage Stuffing with Belgian Pale Ale

Photo by Heather Hanson

I'm back! Sorry for the delay...life always seems to get in the way of these side hobbies. It's has been an incredibly busy, productive and very happy fall. Though the snow on the ground seems to indicate we have now moved onto winter in Minnesota. 






Know what that means? Thanksgiving is right around the corner! I've got a few tasty recipes coming up that stemmed out of a collaboration with a local brewery. Sadly, if you live outside of Minnesota you won't be able to get your hands on a bottle of their beers. I have suggested similar brews to accommodate. 


I'm starting off with my favorite Thanksgiving dish...stuffing. This was cooked and paired with Boom Island Brewing Company's Silvius Pale Ale.  The earthy sage, sweet apple and slight sourness from the sourdough work incredibly well with Silvius' lightly toasted malt backbone and subtle peppery finish.  If you can't get your hands on a bottle from Boom, try out another Belgian pale ale such as Orval Trappist Ale, Ommegang's Rare Vos or Leffe Blonde.

the recipe is my own

serves 10-12

Ingredients:
• 12 cups dry bread cubes (we used a combination of sourdough and rye)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, divided
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 stalks of celery, finely diced
• 2 Braeburn or granny smith apples, diced
• 2 tsp ground sage
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 2 cups Silvius Pale Ale
Preparation:
• Preheat the oven to 350
• In a large saucepan, melt 6 Tbsp butter. Add the onion and celery and sauté until tender, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the sage, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes and diced apple. Toss with the onion mixture. Drizzle with Silvius and mix until the bread cubes are slightly moistened.
• Transfer the stuffing to a 9x13 baking dish and dot with remaining butter. Bake, uncovered, 1 hr or until the stuffing is heated through and beginning to brown.

Sweet Corn Risotto

I find something very soothing about making risotto. The slow additions of broth, the constant stirring. This dish has the added bonus of using up the last of the summers bounty of sweet corn.

I still have a few additional corn recipes in the works though...fritters, sweet corn cupcakes and chowder all come to mind.

adapted from Food and Wine

serves 2-3

The Ingredients:
1 ear of corn, shucked 
3 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
3/4 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup Pilsner or saison (or dry white wine if you must)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

The Process:
Cut the corn from the cob: Place an ear of corn, base side down, on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, start at the top and cut downward with a gentle sawing motion, cutting corn from the cob at about two-thirds the depth of the kernels. Continue cutting until all of the corn is removed. Set the corn kernels aside.

In a medium sauce pan, add the stock along with the corn cob. Heat to a gentle simmer. Keep warm.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onions and sauté
until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the rice and stir to coat evenly.

Slowly pour in the beer.  Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, stirring continuously.  Once the beer has been absorbed, add the warm chicken stock, one ladle full at a time, allowing each addition to be fully absorbed before adding the next.  Patience is key.  Stir gently and continuously.

Once about half of the stack has been absorbed, add the corn kernels. Continue to add the stock as before. Discard the corn cob after the last of the stock has been added to the risotto.
 
Once the last of the stock has been absorbed, the rice should be creamy in texture and slightly al dente. Stir in the butter and the Parmesan cheese.  Remove the risotto from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving. 

Chocolate Milk Stout BBQ Ribs with Mole Spice Rub

Chocolate, beer and barbecue don't seem like an obvious pairing, but trust me on this one. Do you like mole sauce? How about chocolate milk stout? dark roasty beers have an affinity for roasted and grilled meats. Stouts and Porters also love chocolate. See? The combination isn't so crazy after all.

These ribs are brilliant on the grill, if you are a master at the low and slow. They are equally as tasty slow roasted in the oven.

The recipe is my own

serves 4

The Ingredients:
1 rack (2 1/2-3 lbs) pork ribs

for the rub
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cocoa powder
pinch cayenne pepper

for the sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp oil
1 can tomato paste
1 cup chocolate milk stout
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 T cocoa powder
2 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp Ancho chili powder
1 tsp salt

The Process:
For the rub
Combine the spices.

Rub the mixture on both sides of ribs. Cover and let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

for the sauce
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk the remaining ingredients into the saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.

for the ribs
Preheat the oven to 250 

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the seasoned ribs on top. Brush with BBQ sauce and roast in the preheated oven, turning ribs and brushing with BBQ sauce every 30-45 minutes until fork tender, about 4 hours.

Allow to rest 10-15 minutes before serving

Serve with remaining Mole Stout BBQ sauce

Voodoo Shrimp with Spicy Polenta and Greens

I'm not sure why the original recipe developer dubbed this dish Voodoo Shrimp. Poking around a few recipes and sites, there does not seem to be one dished dubbed this title...some are skewer and grilled, some sauteed, others boiled. I found a few drenched in honey and tobasco. Other recipes calling for 2 sticks of butter. The closest recipe I could find similar to the one I based this dish off of hails from The House of Blues. The best I can tell, for this version the Voodoo comes from the beer in the stock...originally Blackened Voodoo Lager by Dixie Brewing Co.  But I'm not going to complain. The heat coupled with the mixture of flavors certainly casts in own special spell.

And beer added into the mix? Yeah, I'm netted. I do not have access to Dixie's brew, but any Schwarzbier will do in a pinch.

The spice list seems long, but you likely already have everything in the pantry. A Cajun or Creole mix would work in a pinch if need be...use about 2 Tbsps. The greens add some much needed color as well as an additional palate to sup up the great sauce. Making the spicy shrimp stock from scratch is truly worth the extra time.

adapted from Home Sweet Jones

Serves 2-3

The Ingredients:
for the shrimp
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 lb large uncooked shrimp, shelled and de-veined, (shells reserved)
1 Tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 fennel bulb, diced
2 bay leaves
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
1/2 c water
6 oz black lager or Schwarzbier
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 c heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 cup tomato, finely diced
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

for the polenta

2 Tbsp butter, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

1 dried de arbol chile, crushed

1 1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup coarse ground corn meal

salt and pepper to taste

for the greens
1 Tbsp oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 bunches of green (collard, turnip, radish, spinach, etc) about 12 oz

The Process
for the shrimp

In a small bowl, combine paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne, oregano and thyme. 

Combine 1/2 the spice mix with the uncooked shrimp and toss to coat. Set aside.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the celery, fennel, and garlic and sauté until fragrant 1-2 minutes. Add the shrimp shells, remaining spice mix, bay leaves, lemon juice and zest, water, Worcestershire sauce, and beer. Bring to a boil and reduce. Simmer for 30 minutes or until reduced by about half. Strain the liquid into a measuring cup, discarding the solids. There should be about 3/4 cup of liquid. 

Return the liquid to the pot and set over medium heat. Add cream and brown sugar, shrimp, and diced tomato. Simmer until shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Whisk in the butter, basil, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

for the polenta 

Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and chile. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the stock to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the remaining butter, and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

for the greens
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and green onion. Saute until fragant, 1-2 minutes. Add half of the greens along with the salt and broth. Sautee until just wilted. Add the remaining greens, cover and remove from heat. Keep warm until ready to serve.

to serve

Spoon a serving of polenta on the center of each plate. Top with a generous serving of greens. Divide shrimp among the plates and ladle the sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

Bock Tracks Ice Cream

 

Beer and ice cream has come together again. I wanted to vamp on rocky road but was a bit stumped on which beer to use. Bock seemed like an ideal fit...particularly due to the name of the style. Bock. Goat. And their tendency to frolic among rocky crevices and outcroppings.

Thus, Bock Tracks was born.

In order to keep the boozy flavor of the bock in the forefront, I opted to skip the traditional chocolate base rocky road ice cream is know for and instead just stuck with those classic mix-ins of nuts, marshmallows and chocolate chips.

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen and The Brown Eyed Baker

yields about 1 quart

The Ingredients:
12 oz bock beer, divided
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

The Process:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add 10 oz of the beer, reserving the remaining 2 oz. Reduce to about half, stirring to prevent the beer from foaming up. Combine the reduced beer to the reserved 2 oz. Add the vanilla and set aside to cool.

Set up an ice bath of cold water and ice in a large bowl. Set fine mesh strainer over a medium-sized bowl and position into the ice bath. Set aside.

In a clean, medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt until smooth. Whisk in the cream until well combined. Set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the custard begins to thicken. Keep the stovetop low and continue gently stirring to avoid inadvertently making scrambled eggs. Bring the custard up to 180 F and promptly remove from heat.

Carefully strain the custard through the fine mesh strainer into the bowl set over the ice bath. Pour slowly...you don't want to capsize the custard into the ice bath below. Whisk in the reduced beer. Allow the custard to cool to room temperature, stirring periodically. Remove from the ice bath, cover, and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

Using an ice cream maker, freeze the chilled base according to the manufacturer's directions.  Once the ice cream has finished churning fold in the marshmallows, nuts and chocolate chips.

Transfer the ice cream to a 1.5 qt container and allow to set in the freezer for an additional 24 hours.

Lemongrass Dubbel Marinated Chicken

At it again...cooking with beer. I've been in the possession of The American Craft Beer Cookbook for a few months now and I have yet to post any of the recipes. Although, until recently I hadn't a good opportunity to try any of them out. The book runs the gamut from simple to elaborate to slightly convoluted. Some dishes can be thrown together from everyday items in your pantry, while others call for a touches a bit more exotic. The hummus and beer-mosas featured can come together in a pinch. The pork belly corn dogs with truffle mustard or the smoked bologna mousse on chicken skin crostini however...

Let's start on a the slightly less ambition end. This recipe features a beer marinade, using one of my favorite styles: the Belgian Dubbel. The most exotic ingredient is the lemongrass. Every once and again fresh stalks will appear alongside the ginger at our local grocery store. More frequently, I'll find a few stalks in a blister pack by the organic produce. When all else fails, hit up an Asian market.

adapted from John Holl's American Craft Beer Cookbook

serves 3-4

The Ingredients
4 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and mince
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp ground pepper
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp brown sugar
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 cup dubbel

The Process:
Pat the chicken dry. In a large bowl or zip top-bag, combine all of the ingredients. Toss, stir or shake to coat. Cover or seal, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to a day.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Place skin side down in a large cast iron skillet. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 20-25 minutes or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 180.

Switch the oven to broil. Broil the chicken, skin side up for 2-3 minutes or until the skin has begun to brown.

Remove from oven and allow to rest 3-4 minutes before serving.

Beer Ricotta Gnocchi with Lemon-Thyme Browned Butter Sauce

Remember I few days ago when I made the saison ricotta? Get ready to make another batch for this recipe!

I love how the beer carried through to the end of the recipe. The bready, boozy notes were still there. To keep the flavors light and bright, I wanted a simple sauce, so I turned to a browned butter base. Browned butter and sage is a common accompaniment to gnocchi. To brighten the sauce and change it up a bit, I opted to add lemon and thyme. Part of me hoped the citrus and herbs would mimic the hop flavors that were lost in the gnocchi. The end result was wonderful.

Gnocchi recipe adapted from The Splendid Table
Sauce recipe adapted is my own

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for the gnocchi
1 lb saison ricotta, drained
3/4 cup to 1 cup flour, plus more for rolling
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of black pepper

for the sauce
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp honey
 
The Process:
In a large bowl combine the ricotta, flour, egg, butter, Parmesan, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Gently knead with your hands until a sticky dough forms, added additional flour as needed. Cover and chill for one hour.

Divide the dough into four. On a lightly floured surface, roll each quarter out into a 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch round log, about 18 inches long. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Arrange the gnocchi on a lightly floured sheet, leaving space between. Cover and chill at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.

To cook, bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, cook the gnocchi for 3-4 minutes, until they float to the surface. Gently scoop them out of the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon, transferring to a serving bowl. Keep warm.

for the sauce:
Cut the butter into pieces. Melt in a small heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Simmer butter until golden brown in color, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat and immediately add lemon juice, salt, thyme, and honey, swirling to blend.  The butter will foam up when the liquid is added.

Pour half of the sauce over gnocchi and gently toss to coat. Divide among four plates and drizzle with remaining sauce.

Serve sauce immediately.

Saison Ricotta

I know, I know. I am on a saison kick at the moment. I have no regrets.

With an excess of whole milk on hand, as well as a stellar home-brewed saison, the time seemed appropriated to revisit ricotta. I've made this simple cheese several time before, once with goats milk, once with buttermilk in lieu lemon juice or vinegar. Most frequently, I turn the curd into paneer. But not once have I incorporated beer.

The difference is flavor is definitely there. The beer isn't shy, offering up a bready base with a hoppy, herbal bite.

The biggest surprise I had with this version was how much the milk mixture frothed up as I heated it this time around. The curd that resulted was very fine, not at all like the plump tender curds from the buttermilk version. As a result, the ricotta took much, much longer to drain than I would normally like. I also substantially reduced the amount of vinegar the original recipe called for. I've had luck with 1 Tbsp per 4 cups of dairy without any problems. 3 Tbsp per 4 cups dairy seemed a bit excessive. I wanted the flavors of the beer to come through, not the tang of the acid.

As I had plans to turns this batch into gnocchi later in the week, I hung the ricotta to drain for over two hours before storing it. A half an hour should suffice to remove most of the liquid, and yields a creamier, spreadable cheese.

adapted from Jackie Dodd's recipe at TheBeeroness.com

yields about 1 pound

The Ingredients:
6 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup, plus 1/4 cup saison, divided
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

The Process:
Line a sieve with several layers of cheesecloth or muslin and set aside.

Pour the milk, cream, salt and 2/3 cup beer into a large non-reactive saucepan with a heavy bottom.  Heat slowly over medium high heat, stirring the milk constantly to prevent scorching.  Bring to mixture to 190 and remove from heat.

Gently stir in the vinegar and remaining 1/4 cup beer. After a minute or so curds will begin to form and clump on the surface.  Allow the mixture to rest for about 5 minutes. Gently stir to encourage the curds to separate from the whey.  Stir infrequently at this point...over stirring will break up the curds too much and yield a drier ricotta.

Once the curds appear to have fully separated, ladle the cloudy liquid (whey) through the cloth lined sieve, working slowly to avoid breaking up the curd.  Once most of the whey has been ladled out of the pot, carefully pour the rest of the curd/whey mixture through the sieve.  Allow most of the liquid to drain.  Once the moisture is cool enough to handle, gather the edges of the cloth together to form a bag.   Thread a dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon through the knot and suspend the bag over a pot or the sink.  Allow to slowly drip drain for at least 15 minutes, and up to two hours.  Resist the urge to press the ricotta.

Place in an air tight container and store in the refrigerator.

Saison Braised Chicken Thighs with Honey Cumin Carrots

I have had saison and chicken on the brain for a while. I do not know why. But I don't particularly care.

Saisons are an excellent beer to pair with food in general. The rustic beer is perfect with rustic foods. Roasted and braised preparations play off of the malt backbone.  The dry finish and high carbonation cuts through rich, fatty meats. And the peppery spice character from the yeast and hops plays incredibly well with a myriad of kitchen spices....thyme, juniper, pepper, cumin, coriander, ginger oregano, garlic...even floral notes from teas and rose hips are enhanced by this beer.  It plays well with heat and loves earthy, funky flavors found in mushrooms and many cheeses. No wonder it is one of my favorite beer styles.

The recipe is my own

serves 3-4

The Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3-4 thighs)
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp thyme
2 Tbsp butter
1 small yellow onion, julienned
6-8 juniper berries
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
12 oz Saison, divided
1 lb baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350

Combine the flour, salt, pepper and dried thyme. Pat the chicken dry and dredge in flour mixture.

Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet set over medium high heat. Add the onions and sauté until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 4-5 minutes. Add the juniper berries, thyme and bay leaf to the skillet.

Stir in 10 oz of the saison. Bring to a boil. Cover and place in the preheated oven. Cook 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together the remaining 2 oz of saison with the honey, oil, cumin and salt. Add the carrots and toss to coat. Arrange the carrots in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast alongside the chicken for 25-30 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and beginning to caramelize.

Remove the carrots from the oven. Uncover the chicken. Pre-heat the broiler and broil the chicken 4-5 minutes, browning the skin.

Serve along with pan juices.

Red Curry Risotto with Thai Shrimp and Aspargus

Dinner tonight was an exercise in time and space management. The meal came together in about 45 minutes. All of the steps involved were fairly easy. But there was a lot to keep track of. I also did not seem to have enough space to broil the shrimp and asparagus at the same time. And sadly, the constant barrage of rain kept the grill at bay. This added some stress to the time management aspect. I opted to broil the asparagus first, tenting with foil afterwards to keep the spears warm until I was ready to plate them. The hot risotto spooned over the top helped bring the spears back up to temp.

Best plan of attack: create a mise-en-scène...laying out all of your ingredients and utensils. Start the risotto and get it to that first ladelful of broth. Start the shrimp marinading. Continue stirring the risotto. Broil the asparagus. Skewer the shrimp. Continue stirring risotto. Broil the shrimp. Plate. Serve.

Collapse into the chair after that marathon of planning and prep to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

risotto adapted from Pretty Little Dishes
the shrimp and asparagus preparation are my own

serves 4

The Ingredients
for the risotto:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely diced red onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups aborio rice
3/4 cup kolsch beer (or white wine)
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp red curry paste
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
salt to taste

for the shrimp:
1 lb large shrimp (31-35 count), peeled and de-veined
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
zest of 1 lime
1/2 cup sesame oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp peanut butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp brown sugar

for the asparagus
1 lb aspagus, trimmed
oil
coarse salt

The Process:
for the risotto
In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken stock to a gentle simmer.  Keep warm.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil.  Add the onions and garlic. Sauté over medium high heat until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the flaked coconut and rice, stir to coat evenly.

Slowly pour in the kolsch.  Lower heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring continuously.  Once the beer has been absorbed, add the warm stock, one ladleful at a time, allowing each addition to be fully absorbed before adding the next.  Patience is key.  Stir gently and continuously. 

After about half of the stock has been used, stir in the coconut milk and red curry paste, mixing until well combined.

 

Awww...curry, I love you too!

 

Continue to add the broth, one ladelful at a time.  After the last ladle of stock has been absorbed, and the rice is creamy in texture and slightly al dente, add the butter. Season with salt to taste. Remove the risotto from the heat. Cover and let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.

for the shrimp:
Rinse the shrimp and set aside.

Whisk the remaining ingredients together to create a thick marinade. Place shrimp in a shallow bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over, coating the shrimp completely. Cover and refrigerate. Marinate at least 15 minutes, but no longer than an hour.

Preheat the broiler or grill. Remove the shrimp from the marinade. Thread onto skewers, about 4-5 per skewer. Broil or grill until shrimp are opaque and slightly charred, 3-4 minutes per side

for the asparagus
Preheat the broiler.

Lightly oil a baking sheet and spread out the asparagus in a single layer. Generously sprinkle with coarse salt. Broil 8-10 minutes, flipping once, or until the asparagus is tender and beginning to char.

to serve:
Divide the asparagus among four dinner plates, arranging the spears in a single, parallel layer. Spoon a generous scoop of risotto down the center of the spears. Top with two skewers of shrimp and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Beer Ice Cream

I've been tinkering around with beer ice cream for a while. How incredibly rude to not have shared this goodness until now.

One of my favorite beers to use is a Belgian dubbel ...rich and malty with hints of toffee, figs, and plums coupled with those intoxicating yeasty esters and phenolics of banana and clove. In this instance I opted for one of our lovely local breweries in Minneapolis, Boom Island Brewing Company, and their Hoodoo Dubbel.

But don't let my recommended favorite prevent you from playing around. Any malt forward beer will work. Think stouts and porters, Scottish ales, browns, bocks, and milds. Moderate alcohol levels are preferred. Too low and the ice cream can freeze rock solid. Too much and you have soft serve on your hands (not necessarily a bad thing). An ABV in the 6%-9% range is ideal. Don't let that prevent you from using your favorite barleywine, wee heavy, Russian imperial stout or old ale though...but plan reducing the full amount of beer down, or using less beer overall to ensure the ice cream firms up.

Avoid hoppy beers...the bitterness is intensified when the beer is reduced. But rest assured, I am working on a way to turn your favorite IPA into a frozen treat. It may or may not involve actual hops in addition to the beer...

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

yields about 1 quart

The Ingredients:
12 oz malt forward beer, divided
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups heavy cream

The Process:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add 10 oz of the beer, reserving the remaining 2 oz. Reduce to about half, stirring to prevent the beer from foaming up. Combine the reduced beer to the reserved 2 oz. Add the vanilla and set aside to cool.

Set up an ice bath of cold water and ice in a large bowl. Set fine mesh strainer over a medium-sized bowl and position into the ice bath. Set aside.

In a clean, medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt until smooth. Whisk in the cream until well combined. Set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the custard begins to thicken. Keep the stovetop low and continue gently stirring to avoid inadvertently making scrambled eggs. Bring the custard up to 180 F and promptly remove from heat.

Carefully strain the custard through the fine mesh strainer into the bowl set over the ice bath. Pour slowly...you don't want to capsize the custard into the ice bath below. Whisk in the reduced beer. Allow the custard to cool to room temperature, stirring periodically. Remove from the ice bath, cover, and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

Using an ice cream maker, freeze the chilled base according to the manufacturer's directions. Transfer the ice cream to a 1.5 qt container and allow to set in the freezer for an additional 24 hours.

IPA Spiked Chicken Tikka Masala

Tikka Masala is no stranger in our household. I've made this dish, and enough of its Indian relatives to whip it up with nothing more than a cursory glance at a ghee stained recipe. The amount of ginger and garlic often varies. Sometimes I use a serrano pepper to two of a kick of heat, other time a subtle touch of chili powder. Fresh and canned tomatoes alternate depending on my mood and the seasons (there are few things sadder than a "tomato" in the middle of a Midwestern winter).

So why does this warrant another visit to this blog...a blog that attempts to chronicle my culinary adventures as I test new waters?

In a word,

Beer.

Ross had requested tikka masala when I asked for dishes to round out our week of dinners. As if by fate, the day before I had planned on our Indian feast, the Beeroness posted a yogurt and ale marinaded grilled chicken. The similarities between her chicken and the marinade for my chicken tikka were uncanny. These long lost cousins were only divided by a mix up of spices and the addition of beer. The discover was enough to revisit and modify this favorite.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did.

Inspired and adapted from The Beeroness, The Pioneer Woman, and my tried and true tikka masala recipe courtesy of Monica Bhide

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for the chicken and marinade
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup IPA
1 Tbsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch thumb of ginger, minced

for the Tikka Masala
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch thumb of ginger, minced
1 serrano pepper, finely diced
1 Tbsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 - 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup heavy cream
2 large handfuls of spinach, coarsely chopped 
1/4 cup IPA
salt to taste

for the Basmati rice
1 cup basmati rice
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1/2 cup frozen peas

The Process:
for the marinade
In a large bowl or gallon-sized zip top bag, combine the yogurt, IPA, and spices. Mix well. Add the cubed chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 6-8 hours.

for the Tikka Masala:
Pre-heat the broiler.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Thread onto metal skewers and arrange on an oiled cooling rack set over a foil lined baking sheet. Broil the chicken, 10" from the heat source, 5-7 minutes per side or until the chicken is beginning to char and juices run clear. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prep the rice:
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, rice, turmeric, salt, and broth. Bring to a boil and stir until the butter has melted. Reduce to a low simmer and cover, cooking 30-35 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Back to the Tikka Masala:
Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and serrano pepper. Sauté until fragrant and the onion is translucent, 6-8 minutes.

Add the spices and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 tsp of salt, the diced tomato and the tomato paste. Simmer on medium low for about 5 minutes.

Whisk in the heavy cream and return to a simmer.

Remove the cooked chicken from the skewers and stir into the sauce. Cover and simmer until the chicken is heated through.

Stir in the chopped spinach and simmer until the spinach wilts. Remove the tikka masala from heat and stir in the 1/4 cup IPA. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste.

Prior to serving, stir 1/2 cup peas into the basmati rice. Spoon pea-studded rice onto each plate and top with tikka masala

IPA Marinated Pork Chops

Need something else to use up some of that marmalade from a few days ago? This pork is the perfect companion.

Initially I had been a little disappointed about the amount of beer flavor that came through in the marmalade. But paired with these chops, it just sings. The entire combination melds together in pure euphoric bliss. Okay...that is a bit of a ridiculous claim to lay on a piece of pork topped with some preserves. But it WAS damn tasty.

The pork is marinated in an IPA and buttermilk mixture that not only tenderizes the meat, but also imbibes the pork with wonderful citrus and floral notes from the hops. The marmalade pulls out those citrus notes even further. The breading on the pork returns the favor by teasing out hints of hefeweizen in the marmalade.

These chops can certainly stand on their own. But the bitter and sweet citrus on top truly helps them shine.

adapted from The Craft Beer Cookbook by Jacqueline Dodd

serves 4

The Ingredients:
4 - 4 oz boneless pork chops
6 oz IPA
6 oz buttermilk
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt, divided
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup panko
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of cayenne

The Process:
Combine the IPA, buttemilk, onion and 1/2 tsp of salt in a large bowl. Add the pork, making sure each chop is fully submerged. Cover and refridgerate for 6-8 hours.

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, panko, remaining salt, pepper and cayenne. Remove the chops from the marinade. Press each chop into the breading mixture, coating evenly on both sides. Set aside to come to room temperature, 15-20 minutes.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chops and fry, 4-5 minutes per side or until golden brown and juices run clear.

Serve with a dollop of marmalade.