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Entree

Bulgogi Portobello Mushroom Wraps with Pickled Mint Slaw

Bulgogi Portobello Mushroom Wraps with Pickled Mint Slaw

There are days when I feel this is my only useful skill. Feed people. Make food. Cook and bake. So, that’s what I’ll do. I don’t have anything else to offer right now, but I can make you some food that tastes good, a small distraction and something to look forward to. 

It’s like practical self-care, food that you want to eat, want to serve to people. Something to plan for that you know won’t get canceled. Even if that plan is just dinner and a beer with the person you’re quarantined with. It’s time to take joy in small things, and do what you can to spread it around. It’s the good kind of contagious. 

Bulgogi Portobello Mushroom Wraps with Pickled Mint Slaw

Ingredients
  

For the mushrooms:

  • ½ cup (129g) low-sodium soy sauce (regular soy sauce will be too salty)
  • 1/4 cup (57g) stout beer
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) brown sugar
  • 5 garlic cloves grated with a Microplane
  • 2 tablespoons ginger grated with a Microplane
  • 3 tablespoons (46g) rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon (30g) toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang Korean hot sauce
  • 1 lbs portobello mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the slaw:

  • 2 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 cup (8oz) hot water
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 cup (8oz) apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
  • ¼ a large red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint
  • 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • 2 green onions chopped

For the wraps:

  • 1 head butter lettuce cleaned, leaves removed
  • Thinly sliced chilies optional

Instructions
 

  • Add the soy sauce, beer, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, vinegar, sesame oil and gochujang to a bowl, mix until well combined.
  • Add the mushrooms to a large Ziplock bag, add the mixture on top, remove all the air. Add to the fridge, marinate for one hour and up to overnight.
  • Add the sugar, salt, hot water, cloves and peppercorn to a large bowl. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the vinegar and allow to rest for 5 minutes, remove the cloves and peppercorns.
  • Add the cabbage, onion, mint, cilantro and green onion. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to several days.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the mushrooms and marinade. Cook until the marinade has thickened, and the mushrooms have softened about 10 minutes.
  • Add the mushrooms to the lettuce leaves, top with slaw and chilies (if using). 

Beer Chicken Shawarma with Sweet Potato cakes and Tahini Aoili

Beer Chicken Shawarma with Sweet Potato cakes and Tahini Aoili

This has been a hard month, for all of us. We aren’t even two weeks in and this month has already had an impact on the world in profound ways. It leaves us all feeling helpless and scared, worried and frightened. I wish I had something to offer you other than a recipe that might help your self-quarantine time seem a little less terrible, but I don’t.

But I can give you this: don’t forget to focus on what you’re grateful for, a little each day. It sounds trite and quaint, but it really does help. I’m ok because: I’m not sick, I can work from home, I have people who love me who will help me if I need it.

Whatever it is, just make sure you take stock of it.

And don’t forget that we are all in this together, and there are people who don’t have those things you just listed. Stop panicking and start helping. Maybe it’s just to offer some help to a stranger, some assistance to someone who needs it. We do have enough, we just need to remember that we are all in it together. We will be ok, we will get through this, and we will do it together. And I’m fairly certain a few beers will only help the situation. 

Beer Chicken Shawarma with Sweet Potato cakes and Tahini Aoili

5 from 2 votes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken:

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika or a teaspoon of each
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/3 cup (78g) beer pale ale, IPA, pilsner, wheat beer
  • 1.5 lbs chicken thighs boneless, skinless, cut into strips
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Sweet Potatoes:

  • 1.5 lbs 1 large or 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, grated with a box grater
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Oil for frying

For the Aioli:

  • ½ cup (112g) real mayonnaise (homemade or store-bought)
  • ½ cup (56g) tahini
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic grated with a Microplane
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons beer pale ale, IPA, pilsner, wheat beer

Topping:

  • Chopped parsley
  • Grape tomatoes quartered
  • Mixed greens

Instructions
 

  • Stir together all the Shawarma ingredients (except the chicken and olive oil) in a large bowl. Add the chicken, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour and up to 1 day.
  • Heat the oven to 200°F, place a baking sheet in the oven.
  • Stir together the sweet potato ingredients (other than the oil).
  • Heat about ½ inch of oil in a skillet.
  • Grab a handful of the sweet potatoes, form into a patty, making sure to press it together well. Place in the pan (two or three patties may be able to fit into the pan at a time).
  • Cook unit the underside is browned (flipping too soon will result in the patties falling apart) then carefully flip the patties, press the top with the flat side of the spatula. Cook until browned on the other side.
  • Remove the cooked patties and place them on the baking sheet in the oven until all the patties are done.
  • Heat the remaining olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet. Add the chicken, cooking on all sides until browned and cooked through.
  • Plate the patties, top tomatoes, greens and then with chicken.
  • Stir together all the aioli ingredients.
  • Drizzle the chicken with desired amount of aioli, sprinkle with parsley.

Guinness Corned Beef Tacos with Pickled Cabbage Slaw

Guinness Corned Beef Tacos with Pickled Cabbage Slaw Diageo Beer Company USA, sponsored this post. Partnerships with The Beeroness and outside companies only occur when the company’s products are ones I use and enjoy myself. All ideas, words, and opinions are my  own.

Every once in a while the stars align and a holiday falls on just the right day. Like when Halloween is on a Saturday or Cinco De Mayo is on Thirsty Thursday, it just clicks it up a notch. 

This year, Saint Patricks Day is on Taco Tuesday, which will obviously necessitate Irish Tacos. What are Irish Tacos, you say?! Great question. Corned Beef and beer tacos, of course. 

Guinness is the unofficial, official beer of Saint Patrick’s day so I teamed up with them to give a beered up corned beef taco to make all your Saint Patrick Taco Tuesday dreams come true. 

Guinness Corned Beef Tacos with Pickled Cabbage Slaw

5 from 1 vote
Servings 12 tacos

Ingredients
  

For the Corned Beef *

  • 4 lbs beef brisket
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons curing salt this will make the meat pink
  • 3 tablespoon whole allspice berries
  • 1 tablespoon whole cloves
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoon mustard seeds
  • 2 tablespoon whole peppercorns
  • 3 cups of water
  • 3 (12 ounces) bottles of Guinness Extra stout
  • 4 cups ice
  • 1 yellow onion quartered

Pickled slaw:

  • 2 cup red cabbage shredded
  • 2 cup savoy cabbage shredded
  • ½ red onion thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 2 cups apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 2 teaspoon black peppercorns

For the Tacos

  • 12 corn tortillas

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, add brown sugar, curing salt, kosher salt, allspice berries, cloves, ginger, mustard seeds, peppercorns, along with the water.
  • Cook on high just until the salt and sugar dissolve, remove from heat. Add 2 bottles of stout (reserve the last bottle for cooking) and  ice, stir until ice has melted and brine is cool.
  • Add the brisket, cover with a lid and refrigerate for 5 days and up to 10.
  • Remove from brine and rinse well. Discard the brine and clean the Dutch oven.
  • Place the brisket back in the cleaned pot, along with the onion, pour the remaining bottle of stout and then cover with cold water until the brisket is fully cover with about one inch of water above the beef.
  • Bring to a low boil, cover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer for 3 hours or until the meat is fork-tender. Move to a carving board, thinly slice against the grain.
  • While the brisket cooks, make the pickled slaw. In a saucepan over medium heat, add the lemon juice, vinegar, salt, sugar, ginger, allspice, cloves and peppercorns in a pot.
  •  Bring to simmer just until the salt and sugar dissolve, remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. 
  • In a large bowl, add the cabbage and onion. Pour the cooled pickling liquid over the cabbage and onion, refrigerate for one hour and up to a week (this can be done well in advance).
  • Fill the tortillas with beef and top with pickled slaw.

Notes

To use a pre-cured corned beef, skip the curing step and go right to the cooking part in step 5 step.
You’ll only need one bottle of Guinness Extra Stout, an onion  from the list of ingredients in the “for the corned beef” section, plus a cured, uncooked, corned beef brisket. 

Tandoori Beer Lamb Wraps with Mango Mint Salsa and Harissa Feta Sauce

Tandoori Beer Lamb Wraps with Mango Mint Salsa and Harissa Feta Sauce

Do you remember the first time you had lamb? or Naan? Maybe you don’t, that’s ok. Maybe you grew up traipsing around the Middle East, or with parents who would regularly bring home take out from exotic places. I did not. 

My mom’s idea of international cuisine was Taco Bell and Costco Lasagna. The good part of this (other than the fact that mom was able to feed 8 kids on a small income, thanks mom!) is that I have very, very clear memories of the first time I had the foods most people grew up with at least a passing experience with. 

Prior to eating Naan for the first time, when I was 19-years-old,  I actually said this sentence: "What do you mean NON-bread? Like, it’s not bread?"

I know. I KNOW. THAT girl grew up to write cookbooks. I suppose anything is possible. But that meal I had, of naan and tandoori lamb, in a small restaurant in Pasadena, taught me that I love curry, and I love new food. It really inspired me to try things, all things, whenever I could. Sure, there were misses, lots of them. Restaurants I’d never revisit, terrible meals, poorly executed dishes, but in spite of that, I wouldn’t change a thing I’ve eaten. You just have to go out, try things, see what sticks. You can’t find what you love without finding things you don’t. But it’s always worth the trip. 

Tandoori Beer Lamb Wraps with Mango Mint Salsa and Harissa Feta Sauce

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

For the lamb:

  • 2 lbs boneless leg of lamb
  • ½ cup (113g) Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup (58g) pale ale or IPA beer
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) lemon juice
  • 2 large garlic cloves grated with a Microplane
  • ¼ teaspoon ginger grated with a Microplane
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
  • pinch ground cloves
  • pinch cayenne

For the harissa sauce:

  • ¼ cup (56g) Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) harissa
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons feta

For the mango mint salsa:

  • 1 medium red mango diced
  • ½ large red onion diced
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the wraps:

  • 4 pieces Naan bread
  • Additional feta and cilantro optional

Instructions
 

  • Add a long sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Add the lamb to the center, fat side up.
  • Score the lamb in a diamond pattern on the top, just cutting through the fat layer.
  • In a medium-sized bowl stir together all of the remaining lamb ingredients.
  • Pour the mixture over the lamb. Gather up the plastic wrap and wrap the lamb tightly, using additional plastic wrap if needed.
  • Refrigerate for 1 hour, and up to 24 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Remove lamb from plastic wrap, place the lamb on a wire rack over a baking sheet, place in the bottom 1/3 of the oven.
  • Roast until the internal temperature of the lamb is 135°F in the thickest part (use an oven-safe meat thermometer if possible), about 45 to 75 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes (internal temp will rise to 140°F while it rests) before slicing into ½ inch strips.
  • In a small bowl, stir together all the mango salsa ingredients, set aside.
  • In a separate bowl stir together the harissa sauce ingredients, set aside.
  • Divide the lamb evenly between the four naan pieces. Top with desired amount of salsa, harissa sauce, and additional fetta and cilantro (if using). Serve immediately.

Burrata, Mango, Arugula Pizza with Hot Chili Oil and Overnight Beer Pizza Crust

Burrata, Mango, Arugula Pizza with Hot Chili Oil and Overnight Beer Pizza Crust

I’m going to give you some advice about general safety and well being. If you ever meet a person who doesn’t like pizza: run. Run fast, and far because this is a person who can not be trusted. It’s the core of our society, like puppies, democracy, and a brand new hoodie. But seriously, is there anything better than wearing a brand new, super-soft, hoodie? While eating pizza? and petting a puppy? With a beer? 

Unfortunately, all I can help you with right now is the pizza part. You’ll have to supply your own hoddies and puppies. Sorry to disappoint. 

This dough is my current favorite. It’s really easy, super simple, and requires very little active time. Although you will need to know 24 hours in advance that you want pizza, but I’m going to tell you now that tomorrow you want pizza. Problem solved. 

It’s also a really agreeable dough. It can sit on your counter for 24 hours, 36 hours, even 48 hours. Just make sure to fold it again if you decide to push pizza-making off a day. Or even put it in the fridge for a few days if life is forcing you to neglect pizza for a while. 

It’s also not super picky about temperature. I heated my beer to be about lukewarm, but not hot. But if you just used room temperature beer, you’d probably be fine. Just no extreme temps here, nothing cold or hot, just in the general vicinity of warm. 

And these toppings are my idea of the perfect pizza, I could eat this every single day. If there is ever a menu item that includes burrata, mango, and chili oil, it’s hard for me to pass it up, no matter what else is included. 

You can make the crust with a pilsner, pale ale, or wheat beer. Nothing too hoppy or dark. But when you eat it, I highly recommend doing so with an IPA. The chili and mango will thank you, this is truth. I was lucky enough to have a Poor Mans Galaxy from 10 Torr,  If you can get your hands on one, I highly recommend it.

I’ve always said that the best beer comes from the convergence of art and science, that engineers and scientists with a creative side always put out the best, most consistent beer and 10 Torr is a perfect example of that. Two badass women and an engineering company came together to give us some amazing beer. 

And then I decide to drink it with pizza. Hopefully, all that art and science will forgive my casual approach to art appreciation, but I also have the idea that this is exactly the sort of activity it was made for. 

Burrata, Mango, Arugula Pizza with Hot Chili Oil and Overnight Beer Pizza Crust

5 from 4 votes
Servings 2 small pizzas

Ingredients
  

For the dough:

  • 2 cups (240g) All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 cup (6oz) lukewarm beer (pilsner, pale ale, wheat beer)

For the topping:

  • ¼ cup red pizza sauce
  • ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 mini (2 oz each) balls of burrata
  • 1 red mango diced
  • ½ cup arugula leaves
  • 2 tablespoons hot chili oil

Instructions
 

  • The night before you plan to make pizza, stir together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Stir in the beer with a fork or your hands until a tight ball forms.
  • Add to an oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to sit at room temperature for 12-18 hours.
  • The next morning (12 to 18 hours later) fold the dough by pulling the sides into the center until a tight ball forms. This should only take about 5 minutes.
  • Cover and allow to rise for another 6 to 12 hours. (if you decide to wait another day to make pizza, just fold again every 12 hours. If it'll be longer, keep in the fridge and fold every 24 hours). 
  • Place a pizza stone or pizza steel in the bottom third of your oven. Preheat your oven to 550°F, allow to heat for one full hour.
  • While your oven heats, cut your dough ball into two balls, form into tight balls on a heavily floured surface, using more flour if the dough is too sticky.
  • Cover and allow to rest for 30-45 minutes while your oven heats (make sure to cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, you want to prevent a crust from forming on your dough because this will impede the rise).
  • After 30-45 minutes, shape the balls into 8-10 inch crust by pulling and stretching. DO NOT use a roller. Avoid touching the outer inch where the outer crust ring will be, you don’t want to disrupt the air bubbles to allow your outer crust to bubble up.
  • Place on a heavily floured pizza peel, top with sauce and mozzarella. Brush the outer crust ring with olive oil.
  • Transfer to the pizza stone or steel. Bake for 8-10 minutes, remove from oven with a pizza peel. 
  • Top with burrata, mango, arugula and chili oil. Repeat for remaining crust.

Beer Battered Kung Pao Cauliflower Tacos

Beer Battered Kung Pao Cauliflower Tacos

I like to taco things that shouldn’t be tacoed. Speaking of, "tacoed" is another one of those words that Autocorrect and I disagree on the validity of, like beerified and hangry. 

And while we are on the topic of things people will disagree with me on, I’m fairly certain there is more than one person who would disagree with my decision to put all the things into tortillas and call them tacos. These are not my people. 

You’re on my side with this, I’m pretty sure. Because if I put anything in a homemade tortilla, hand it to you with a beer, you’ll eat it. And you’ll let me call it a taco even if it’s fairly ridiculous to do so. "You made me a cake taco!" you would say, and eat it even if it’s pretty insane. That’s why you’re my people, nothing is off-limits when it comes to handheld dinners and beer. 

These tacos do happen to be my new favorite accidentally vegan meal so anyone against my tacoing kung pao cauliflower doesn’t get any. It’s harsh but necessary, we need to have some limits with those people anyway. 

My recipe for Homemade Beer Tortillas 

Beer Battered Kung Pao Cauliflower Tacos

5 from 1 vote
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

For the cauliflower:

  • Canola oil for frying
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 12 ounces pale ale beer
  • 3 cups cauliflower florets stems removed

For the Kung Pao sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons (45g) rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons (34g) hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup (58g) porter or stout beer
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil or sesame chili oil
  • ¼ teaspoon ginger grater with a Microplane
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 4-5 dried chili Arbol pods chopped (more chilies will make it hotter)

For the tacos:

  • 12 corn tortillas homemade, or La Tortilla Factory if store-bought
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions
  • 3 tablespoons nuts shelled peanuts, pistachios, or cashews

Instructions
 

  • Heat 4 inches of canola oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Clip a deep-fry thermometer on the side and bring oil to 350F, adjust heat to maintain this temperature.
  • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, garlic powder, soda, black pepper, and cornstarch.
  • Stir the beer into the flour bowl, whisk until combined adding additional beer or flour until the batter is just slightly thinner than that of pancake batter.
  • Turn the oven to 175F. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet, add the baking sheet to the oven.
  • One at a time dip the florets into the batter until well coated, allow the excess to slip off back into the bowl, then add to the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes, then transfer to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm until all cauliflower is done.
  • Add all the sauce ingredients to a pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 3 minutes
  • Add the cauliflower to the tortillas, drizzle with sauce, sprinkle with green onions and nuts. Serve immediately.

Hot Honey Beer Prawns

Hot Honey Beer Prawns

I have a confession. This was supposed to be for dinner but instead I ate it over the sink and called it "lunch" as if I hadn’t already eaten. This would drive you crazy if you had to put up with me on a daily basis, I have no ability to plan or follow through with plans, because sometimes I just want to eat prawns over the sink. 

Hot Honey is a fairly new discovery for me. I started my hot honey journey the exact way you should: with a slice of pizza eaten over a paper plate on the street in Manhattan with my friend. Even if the pizza isn’t better with Hot Honey, this should be your first introduction, it’s just the way the world should work when everything is perfect. By the time I arrived here, Hot Honey was already a thing, which made me feel like I had nothing to offer. If I can’t feed you new and weird food, what good am I?! 

But I will still feed you, even if you’ve already had hot honey somewhere else in the world. I will still hot-up some honey, beerify (this is a word, look away, autocorrect) the dish, and serve it to you on a silver platter. Or out of the skillet over the sink. Whatever. 

Hot Honey Beer Prawns

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 tablespoons (84g) honey
  • 3 tablespoons (62g) Asian hot chili oil see note
  • 3 cloves garlic grated with a Microplane
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon (2g) ginger grated with a Microplane
  • 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
  • ¼ cup beer pilsner, pale ale, lager
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil*
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 lbs prawns or large shrimp deveined (peeled if desired)
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl stir together the butter, honey, chili oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, salt, and beer, set aside.
  • Rub the inside of your cast iron skillet with olive oil (*you can skip this step if you know for sure your cast iron skillet is well seasoned, but it won’t hurt to do this either way. If your skillet isn’t well seasoned the honey may stick without the oil).
  • Heat the sesame seed oil in the skillet over high heat. Add the prawns.
  • Pour in the butter mixture, allow to boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and the prawns are cooked through.
  • Remove from heat, top with green onions. Serve with rice, polenta, or crusty bread.

Notes

  • Asian chili oil, or hot chili oil, is sold in the Asian section of the market near the Sriracha. My favorite brands are Judy Fu's, Lao Gan Ma, and Din Tai Fung. 
  • You can either remove the shells to cook, or cut them down the entire length of the prawn when you remove the vein and serve them as peel-and-eat, but either way, don't neglect the sauce, it's delicious! 
 

Homemade Beer Pasta Recipe: Pilsner Pappardelle with Harissa Brown Butter, Burrata, and Crispy Basil

Pilsner Pappardelle with Harissa Brown Butter, Burrata, and Crispy Basil

Is January an asshole, or is it just me? Every year of my life up to this moment, January has been the worst month. It’s soggy and heavy and sad. We’ve just got to keep moving through it as if it doesn’t exist, it’s just a vestibule to the rest of the year. 

My current means of coping is throwing myself into long cooking projects, it helps. Don’t fight me on this, just sit there and look pretty. This week it’s homemade pasta, something every single person who has hands and a mouth should attempt at least once in their lives. If I didn’t hate the term "bucket list" I would tell you to add this endeavor to yours. 

It isn’t hard, and it isn’t complicated, it’s just a few simple ingredients and some time. If you have a stand mixer and a pasta roller, even better. But if you don’t, it’s still completely possible. Remember, Italian grandmas didn’t have those things a hundred years ago and their pasta didn’t suffer. 

Instead of a stand mixer, just use your hands. It will give you an arm workout and take three times as long, but your pasta will be well worth it, a carb load after the upper body training. If you don’t have a pasta roller, just use a rolling pin. Or a bomber of beer. 

And everything is better with burrata, this is a fact. I don’t care what you serve me, if you say, "Do you want burrata with that?" the answer will be yes. Cake, cereal, pizza, I don’t care, put a big ball of burrata on it and it’s happy. I’m happy. I’m less January-y. 

Add in some harissa and a beer and it already feels like February. 

Pilsner Pappardelle with Harissa Brown Butter, Burrata, and Crispy Basil

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients
  

For The Pasta:

  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup (2oz) beer pilsner, wheat beer, pale ale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Browned Butter:

  • ½ cup (114g) unsalted butter*
  • ¼ cup prepared harissa
  • ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt

For the Dish:

  • olive oil for frying
  • 8-10 large basil leaves chopped
  • 4 (2 oz each) mini balls of burrata
  • Black pepper

Instructions
 

Make the pasta:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, add the flour and the salt and mix well. Form a well in the center, add the eggs and the beer. Mix on low speed until the dough, eggs, and beer are incorporated, about 6 minutes. 
  • Turn the mixer to medium speed and allow the mixer to knead the dough until it's elastic (stretches when pulled rather than breaks right away) about 8 minutes. Form a ball and brush with olive oil. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
  • Cut the dough into two equal halves. Cut each half into equal thirds to give you 6 equal-sized pieces. Keep all dough covered that you are not working with.
  • Flatten each dough section into a long oval. Pass through the pasta roller at the widest setting. Close the pasta roller one notch and pass through again. Close the pasta roller again pass the pasta through again. Add flour to the pasta with each pass through the pasta roller. Continue to do this until the pasta sheets are thin (about 3 stops from the smallest setting).
  • Using a sharp knife, cut each sheet of pasta into 1-inch-wide slices, and approximately 8-10 inches long. 
  • Allow to air dry on a flat surface covered in flour for about 20 minutes.
  • Cook pasta in heavily salted water until al dente, about 4 minutes.

Make the sauce:

  • Add the butter to a saucepan, allow to simmer over medium heat until toasty brown and starting to smell nutty. Remove from heat, stir in harissa and salt.

Make the Basil:

  • Heat about 2 inches of oil in a pan or pot until very hot. Using a slotted spoon, lower the herbs into the oil. Fry them for about 5 to 10 seconds. Transfer to a plate lined with a towel.

Plate the pasta:

  • Divide the noodles between four bowls. Drizzle with sauce. Add a ball of burrata to each bowl. Sprinkle with basil and black pepper.

Notes

 Why would you call for unsalted buttter and then have me add salt?! Why would you do such things?! Great question! Salt is not added to all brands of butter in the same amounts. Some sticks of salted butter have less than an 1/8 of a teaspoon, some as much as a full teaspoon. The only way to know how much salt is in the dish is to add it yourself. 

Gochujang Stout BBQ Burger with Fried Shallots and Blistered Shishitos

 Gochujang Stout BBQ Burger with Fried Shallots and Blistered Shishitos

This is basically an amalgamation of my neurosis, it’s true. First came my full-blown obsession with Shishito peppers that turned in me making them for a dinner party, then for myself, eating all alone over the sink, THEN I had to make something for you because the world needs shishito peppers right now! But it doesn’t end there. 

From there the snow started falling into my life with a vengeance and my California blood started to panic since I’m basically a lizard on a rock and I need all the sun all the time, and this led me—no, FORCED me— to make burgers. I became what is the human equivalent of a labrador left alone too long chewing on the curtains and my cabin fever was convinced that summertime food was the only answer. And that means burgers, obviously. 

So basically, what I’m trying to say in my rambling way, is that this burger, THIS BURGER, is the indoor cooking cure to the wintertime blues that we all need in our lives right now. It’s true, make it and you will feel better. Or at least full, and that’s always better than hungry. 

Gochujang Stout BBQ Burger with Fried Shallots and Blistered Shishitos

5 from 2 votes
Servings 4 burgers

Ingredients
  

For the beef patty:

  • 1 lbs 80/20 ground chuck beef
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 3 tablespoons butter

For the Gochuchang BBQ:

  • cup (160 g) apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup (4 oz) stout
  • ½ cup (100g) dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 cup (98g) gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Shallots:

  • 1 large shallot blub peeled and sliced into 1/8 inch slices (about 1/3 cup)
  • ¼ cup (30g) flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • Oil for frying

For the Shihitos:

  • ½ lbs shishito peppers
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon flakey sea salt

For the burgers:

  • 4 kaiser rolls split
  • 1 small bunch cilantro

Instructions
 

Prep the beef:

  • Form the beef into 4 equal-sized patties, wider than the bun (it will shrink as it cooks) and fairly thin. Add to a plate, refrigerate until very cold, about 1 hour (can be done up to 24 hours in advance).

Make the barbeque sauce:

  • Add all the barbeque sauce to a pan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened. Set aside.

Make the shallots:

  • Add the flour, salt and pepper to a small bowl, stir to combine. Add the sliced shallots, toss to coat. Remove with a fork, shaking off the excess flour.
  • Add about ½ inch of oil to a pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the shallots, reduce heat to medium, cooking on both sides until crispy, and browned, about 10 minutes (make sure the oil isn’t too hot or the shallots will burn). Remove from oil, allow to drain on a stack of paper towels.

Make the shishitos:

  • Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet until very hot. Add the shishitos, allowing to blister on one side before turning with tongs (be careful, the oil will pop), allow to drain on a stack of paper towels, sprinkle with salt while still hot.

Make the patty:

  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper the patties liberally on all sides. Add to the skillet, cook on both sides until the meat is medium-rare, about 3 minutes on each side.

Assemble the burgers:

  • Add the patty, top with barbecue sauce, shishitos, shallots and cilantro, serve immediately

Michelada Marinated Steak Tacos with Chipotle Avocado Sauce and Beer Pickled Onions

Michelada Marinated Steak Tacos with Chipotle Avocado Sauce and Beer Pickled Onions

If anyone tells you they don’t like tacos they are incorrect. Yes, I know, liking something is technically an opinion, and those can’t be correct or incorrect, except about tacos. I’ll even let those "I don’t really like ice cream" people have their inferior preferences but with tacos, I’m just going to say no, absolutely not, you are wrong. 

Because the truth is, you just haven’t had the right taco. Maybe street tacos are your jam, or maybe it’s what I call "trash tacos" which are the ones our moms made with ground beef and cheddar and pre-packaged hard taco shells, or MAYBE you like a hybrid of both like the ones Malo in LA used to make. 

OR you could just be a dessert taco guy, like a ChocoTaco sort of human. But the truth is, tacos are for everyone, and everyone is for tacos. 

These tacos just happen to be my sort of tacos: GOOD corn tortilla (not those cardboard disks that pretend to be tortillas), steak, pickled onions, and a sauce of sorts.

I will ride or die for all types of cheese, but not on my tacos, save that for a burrito. Or a burger. No lettuce, thank-you-very-much, and no premade hard shells. Just a protein, a corn tortilla, onions or one sort or another, and a spicy sauce. And a beer, tacos and beer are always better together. 

For homemade tortillas, use this recipe for Beer Corn Tortillas

For store-bought, the only ones I ever buy are La Tortilla Factory 

Michelada Marinated Steak Tacos with Chipotle Avocado Sauce and Beer Pickled Onions

5 from 2 votes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

Steak:

  • 2 lbs skirt or flank steak
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha
  • 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cream-style horseradish
  • 1 large lime juiced
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 12 ounces beer pale ale, lager, pilsner
  • 1 ½ cups 12 ounces tomato juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Beer Pickled Onions:

  • 12 oz of IPA beer
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 large red onion thinly sliced

Chipotle Avocado Sauce:

  • 1 large chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped
  • 1 large avocado pit and skin removed
  • ¼ cup chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon chopped green onions

For the tacos:

  • 12 small corn tortillas homemade recipe link above, for store-bought, see note
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions

Instructions
 

Marinate the steak:

  • Sprinkle the flank steak liberally on all sides, place in a gallon-sized Ziplock bag or a large bowl with an airtight lid.
  • In a large bowl stir together the sriracha, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, lime juice, pepper, beer, and tomato juice. Pour over the steak, remove as much air as possible before sealing the bag.
  • Refrigerate overnight.

Make the onions:

  • In a pot over medium-high heat add the beer, vinegar, sugar, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer, stirring just until the sugar and salt dissolve, remove from heat.
  • Add the onions to a jar or storage container. Pour brine over the onions. Allow to sit at room temperate until cooled, cover and refrigerate overnight and up to several weeks.

Cook the steak:

  • Remove the steak from the marinade, allowing the liquid to drain off as much as possible. Place the steak on a clean kitchen towel or a stack of paper towels, add more to the top of the steak drying it as well as possible (this is how you will be able to achieve a good sear, too much liquid will ruin the sear).
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid until very hot. Add the steak, allowing to brown and sear for 3-5 minutes, flip and cover with a slight vent to the lid until cooked through, another 4-6 minutes (depending on the thickness of your steak).
  • Remove from pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.

Make the sauce:

  • Add all the ingredients for the chipotle avocado sauce to a small blender or food processor, process until well combined.

Make the tacos:

  • Add steak, avocado cream, onions, and green onions in desired proportions to tortillas.

Notes

*The only store bought tortillas that I ever buy are La Tortilla factory (this is not a paid mention, I have no relationship with them), all other store-bought tortillas are bland and dry in my experience. If you can’t find La Tortilla Factory corn tortillas, try to make them at home, it really is rather simple.

Balsamic Stout Short Ribs

Balsamic Stout Short Ribs, so rich and delicious! 

This is one of those unimpressive-very-impressive dishes. Sounds impressive, tastes impressive, but requires a very unimpressive amount of skill. Some things take skill, lots of it, years of it. Some things just take a long bath in the oven and they come out just right. Every time. In a forgiving sort of way that requires no pre-acquired meat knowledge. 

Short ribs are those things, short ribs are my friends because friends forgive, a lot. It’s really hard to screw up short ribs, just remember: long, slow, low. Not too low, and long is up to interpretation, but it’s a general rule. As long as you leave these suckers in the oven long enough (you can’t rush short ribs, but you can ignore them for hours) they will reward you with a meal that you can at least pretend you slaved over. People will believe you. 

Short ribs also really like it when you make them in advance and they get to have a nice little sleepover in your fridge. They’re that sort of friend. Give them a beer, let them spend the night, and they’ll make you look good the next day. It’s a great way to prepare for a dinner party that may or may not involve a human sleepover. Enough of these ribs and some beer and people won’t want to leave your house, so you should probably make up the guest room just in case. 

Balsamic Stout Short Ribs

5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs boneless beef short ribs
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ cup (60g) flour
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large leek cleaned and sliced (white part only)
  • 1 rib celery diced
  • 2 large carrots diced
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup (113g) balsamic vinegar
  • 1 (12oz) bottle stout beer
  • 2 cups (450g) beef broth
  • 1 (14.4 oz) can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons (48g) tomato puree
  • Rice polenta or pasta for serving
  • chopped parsley

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • Sprinkle the ribs with salt on all sides. Dredge in flour until well coated.
  • Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or braiser over medium-high heat. Add the ribs, browning on all sides, remove and set aside.
  • Add the leeks, celery, and carrots, lower the heat to medium. Cook until the vegetables have started to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Stir in the garlic.
  • Add the balsamic, beer, and broth, scraping to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the ribs back in, along with the tomatoes and tomato puree.
  • Cover and add to the oven for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  • After 2 hours, remove the lid and continue to cook until fork-tender, about 1 additional hour.
  • Remove the ribs, set aside.
  • Add the remaining liquid and vegetables to a blender, blend on high until well combined.
  • Plate the ribs, drizzle with sauce, sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Stout Creole Gumbo over Smokey Cheddar Grits

Stout Creole Gumbo over Smokey Cheddar Grits

This is something you need to be warned about. At least I did and I think we are alike, you and I. When I first started to dive into trying to figure out this food and cooking thing I didn’t know how important some things were, because not everything is important. Sometimes you can make swaps, skip steps, make it your own, and it’s still delicious. And then sometimes you ignore the "soften the butter" step and your chocolate frosting looks like ground beef and you have no idea what happened. 

I’m going to ask you, no, BEG you to cook your flour for a long time and you’ll look at me like I’m a crazy person. It’s just flour! How important can that be?! I’ll just do it for like 3 minutes, it’ll be fine, right?! 

I know, I hear you, it doesn’t seem that important. BUT IT IS. Have you ever seen a sad, anemic looking gumbo with a light brown sauce? Back away, don’t eat it. It’s not very good. And it’s because the person who made it skipped that step. It’s ok, they were probably having a bad day, we forgive them.  But not your gumbo, your gumbo is dark and gorgeous and delicious. Because you didn’t skip that step. You opened your beer early, drank it and just enjoyed a little moment to yourself. I promise you, it’s worth it. 

Especially if the beer you opened was this one:

I spend some of my childhood years in San Luis Obispo, California. If you’ve never driven Highway 1 south from San Franciso, ending in San Luis Obispo to stay the night at The Madonna Inn, you now have a new item to add to your travel checklist. I’ve been all over the world and I promise you, it’s one of the best road trips that exist in the Universe.  Once you do, you must reward yourself with a beer at Firestone Walker. The beer doesn’t just have a place in my heart because of where it’s grown, it’s absolutely some of the most amazing and consistent beer there is.

Craft beer can be squirrely, and making batch after batch of the same beer, making sure each batch taste the same as the last, is nearly impossible. But I have yet to try any Firestone Walker beer that isn’t exactly what I want it to be. It’s consistent, and consistently incredible. 

Coconut Merlin is a beer you should try, it’s fantastic. If you can’t get it where you live, then I guess you just have to do that road trip I suggested. Don’t worry, there is beer at the end. And it’s really good. 

Stout Creole Gumbo over Smokey Cheddar Grits

5 from 1 vote
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Gumbo:

  • 1 lbs bacon chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup white onions diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • ½ cup stout beer
  • 4 cups seafood or fish broth
  • ½ lbs okra sliced
  • 2 (14.5oz) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon gumbo file
  • 1 lbs andouille sausage cut into ½ inch rings
  • 1 lbs raw shrimp
  • 1 lbs live clams
  • Chopped parsley

For the Grits:

  • 3 ½ cups chicken broth
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • 1 cup corn grits
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese use smoked cheddar for a more intense smoke flavor

Instructions
 

Make the gumbo:

  • Add the bacon to a large stockpot or braiser over medium heat. When the bacon starts to render add the onions and peppers, cooking until the onions have softened and the bacon has rendered all of it’s fat.
  • With a slotted spoon remove the bacon and vegetables, setting aside. You want about 1/3 cup of bacon fat still in the pan (no need to meticulously measure, just eyeball it), if there is significantly more than 1/3 cup discard excess, if there is less add the olive oil to the bacon fat. Sprinkle with flour. 
  • Cook the flour, stirring frequently over medium heat, until the roux is dark brown. This will take at least 20 minutes and up to 40 minutes, it’s the backbone of the dishes’ flavor so don’t skip it.
  • Once the roux is a dark brown add the beer, scraping to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the broth, tomatoes, okra, bacon and vegetables, Cajun seasoning, cayenne, file, and sausage. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the shrimp and clams, stir slightly and then cover immediately. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Lift the lid, discard any clams that did not open. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Make the grits:

  • Add the broth and half and half to a saucepan, bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer.
  • Add the grits, salt, and smoked paprika, cover with a lid. Simmer, stirring occasionally until the grits have softened, about 25 minutes. Stir in the cheese.
  • Serve the polenta topped with gumbo.

Notes

If you want to make this in advance, stop right before adding the shrimp and clams. The dish without the seafood can simmer over low heat for hours without issue, but it will make the seafood tough. Add the seafood, cooking right before serving. You can also make and refrigerate it without the seafood and then add it back to the pot, bring to a simmer and then cook the seafood before serving. 
Don't store live clams in water or in airtight packaging. Store them in an open container between wet paper towels. Ideally, buy them right before using. 

Broiled Salmon with IPA Thai Chili Sauce

Broiled Salmon with IPA Thai Chili Sauce

This is one of those ways that I hide. I pretend like I have it all together (I super don’t), but I can crank out a meal in less than 15 minutes so that makes me feel like I’m an actual grown-up. We all have our things. I do, however, have this urge to stop pretending like I have mastered adulting, but you know what I do instead? I hide. We all do, right? Tell me it’s not just me. There is just an inherent vulnerability to exposing yourself as an adulting fraud. 

This should be our solidarity hashtag #AdultingFraud. Because the truth is, while my life is great, I also: haven’t done laundry in a week, just ran out of dog food, my kid hasn’t bathed in two days, and I spent more time on social media today than I did doing actual work. #adultingfraud. 

There is always tomorrow to get just a little bit closer. And there is always great beer to remind you two things: one, beers with friends always make you feel better, and that someone, somewhere, put everything they have into a small craft brewery and the results are this amazing Chaos Emeralds DIPA. An IPA that just won a pretty damn big award. Which means that if they can be grown-ups with beer, so can you. Maybe you can’t make a beer this good, but you certainly can drink it and supporting small independent businesses is a great use of your time.  

I might not be good at adulting, but I have mastered enabling. We all have our thing. 

 

Broiled Salmon with IPA Thai Chili Sauce

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup (57g) rice wine or white wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup (57g) IPA beer
  • 1/3 cup (113g) honey
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon (1.5g) fresh ginger, grated with a microplane
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
  • 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 salmon fillets
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Chopped cilantro and sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven broiler.
  • In a saucepan stir together the vinegar, beer, honey, garlic, ginger, chili flakes, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Add the pan to a burner over high heat, boiling until thickened, about 5 minutes.
  • Cover a sheet pan with aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil,  add the salmon, skin side down. Sprinkle the salmon liberally with salt.
  • Brush the salmon with the sauce.
  • Place about 4-6 inches under the broiler, keeping a close eye.
  • After 5 minutes, remove from oven and re-brush with the sauce. Return to the broiler until starting to brown.
  • Plate the salmon, sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Spinach Artichoke Dip Stuffed Beer Steamed Mushrooms

Spinach Artichoke Dip Stuffed Beer Steamed Mushrooms (perfect appetizer for thanksgiving or vegetarian main!)

You guys, it’s here. IT. IS. HERE!!

After two years of working and waiting I finally have an actual, real-life, physical copy of my book LUSH in my grubby little paws. It’s gorgeous and by far my favorite book I’ve ever written, I hope you love it as much as I do. 

Wanna get a beer with me and celebrate? The answer is yes. YES, YOU DO! Are you going to be in Seattle or New York in October? Then you have no excuses, not one. 

To entice you into joining me I’ve made you some stuffed mushrooms. I will, however, eat all of them before either event so don’t be counting on eating any, they’re all mine. But you should make them for yourself. Especially as an appetizer for Thanksgiving. Or a Halloween party. Or just a Tuesday because you feel like it. 

Stuffed mushrooms was one of the first recipes I ever developed on my own and I still love them. Do you have a veg-head coming over for Thanksgiving and are at a loss for what to serve them as a main? Just swap the 24 cremini mushrooms with 8 portobello mushrooms and they will have more than enough food to be as stuffed as the rest of us. 

So there you have it. A perfect appetizer that doubles as a vegetarian main dish, and you’ve already decided to come out and have a beer with me next month. Not a bad Thursday.

Spinach Artichoke Dip Stuffed Beer Steamed Mushrooms

5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

  • 24 cremini mushrooms baby bellas
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped white onions
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper 3g
  • 1 cup (50g) chopped fresh spinach, packed
  • ½ cup (120g) marinated artichokes, chopped
  • ¼ cup (2oz) plus 1 cup beer (8oz) Oktoberfest, Marzen, brown ale, divided
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • ½ cup (56g) shredded mozzarella
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup (30g) Italian bread crumbs

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Wash the mushrooms well, removing the stems. Chop the stems, set aside. Add the mushroom caps, hole side up, to a baking dish (or dishes).
  • Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped mushroom stems and onions, cooking until onions and mushroom pieces have softened. Stir in the salt and pepper.
  • Stir in the garlic, then add the spinach, cooking until the spinach has softened and wilted, stir in ¼ cup beer and the artichokes. 
  • Add the cream cheese, stirring until it has melted and combined with the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir in the cheese until melted.
  • Add heaping spoonfuls into the holes in the mushrooms.
  • Stir together the melted butter and breadcrumbs. Add a teaspoon or so to the top of each mushroom.
  • Add the beer to the pan around the mushrooms (if using two pans, divide the beer between the pans).
  • Cover the pan and bake for 18 minutes, remove the cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the top has browned.

Notes

  • To make this entree-sized portions, substitute the cremini mushrooms for 8 portobello mushrooms. 
  • To make in advance, stop at step seven (right before you pour the beer into the pan, just drink it instead!), cover and refrigerate for up to 36 hours. 

Honey Bock Mushroom Banh Mi + GIANT giveaway! (over $1000 in prizes!)

 

After over two years in the making my book, Lush: A Season-by-Season Celebration of Craft Beer and Produceis finally coming out in just a few short weeks!

It is by far, without hesitation, the best thing I’ve ever done professionally. I’m immensely proud of it and I can’t wait for you to see it. To celebrate I’ve rounded up a bunch of my favorite things to give away to you. 

  1. My FAVORITE beer fridge from New Air
  2. My new favorite cooking appliance, slow cooker AND instant pot in one, the CrockPot 6 Qt. Express Crock  Multi-Cooker
  3. If you don’t have an enamel cast iron braiser, YOU NEED ONE! I use mine all the time. I’m giving away this gorgeous  5Qt. Red Anolon Braiser  
  4. PicoBrew Beer System! This is basically a bread machine for beer. You can brew your own beer (even clones of your favorite beer) super easily. Ever curious about home brewing? This is an easy way to get you hooked! 
  5. PLINY THE ELDER AND BLIND PIG! Obviously, you need to be 21, but these are whales of craft beer (the most sought after DIPAs on the planet) and owning them will give you bragging rights that YOU have had them. 
  6. An autographed copy of my book! You’ll get an advanced copy of Lush: A Season-by-Season Celebration of Craft Beer and Produce scribbled in by me. 

Entering is easy! Just go to this Instagram post, follow these accounts: @TheBeeroness,  @NewAirUSA, @CrockPot, @Anolon, @PicoBrew, then tag someone on my Instagram post who might also want to enter. Done! 

For bonus entries (not a requirement to enter or win!) preorder Lush: A Season-by-Season Celebration of Craft Beer and Produce  then email the preorder receipt to [email protected]

 

Now for the recipe! This is one of the recipes in my book, combining my love of the Banh Mi, Mushrooms and craft beer. Hope you love it as much as I do. 

Honey Bock Wild Mushroom Banh Mi

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cup (12oz) bock beer
  • ¼ cup (60g) soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons (42g) honey (sub agave for vegan)
  • 2 teaspoon (6g) garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
  • 1 lbs wild mushrooms i.e. oyster, chanterelles, shiitake, cremini
  • ½ cup (120g) sour cream or mayonnaise (sub veganaise for vegan)
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) sriracha
  • 4 hoagie rolls split
  • 1 English cucumber thinly slices
  • 1 cup (80g) julienne cut carrots
  • 1 large jalapeno thinly sliced
  • ½ cup (8g) cilantro leaves, packed

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl stir together the beer, soy sauce, honey, garlic powder and salt.
  • Slice the mushrooms, add to a large Ziplock bag or a shallow bowl. Pour the beer mixture over the mushrooms, seal the bag or cover the bowl. Leave at room temperature for one hour or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
  • In a small bowl stir together the sour cream (or mayo) and sriracha, set aside.
  • Heat the oven to 425°F.
  • Remove the mushrooms from the marinade.
  • Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add the mushrooms to prepared pan. Add to the oven, bake for 10 minutes, stir then bake for ten more minutes. Repeat until the mushrooms are dry and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from oven.
  • Toast the insides of the rolls, spread the insides of the rolls with the sriracha cream.
  • Add the mushrooms to the rolls. Top with cucumbers, carrots, jalapeno and cilantro. Serve immediately

 

 

 

Beer Chicken Satay with Almond Stout Dipping Sauce

Beer Chicken Satay with Almond Stout Dipping Sauce

I have recently discovered, to my abject horror, that I vastly prefer almond butter to peanut butter. Why so horrified, you ask? Because it is, in my conservative estimation, about one thousand times more expensive. And I am cheap. Have I told you this? That I have not one, but three favorite thrift stores, each one has it’s own unique category of items I prefer it for (food props, random vintage furniture, weird but fun jewelry). This is a true fact. 

Then there comes along these items that overpower my will to conserve. Like $30 bottles of beer, and jars of roasty nut butter. No, no, that $13 dollar jar of almond butter makes total sense! And then I eat it and I’m convinced, money can be saved elsewhere because I can’t go back, not now. It’s so much better!

Sure, some people will DIE if they eat peanuts and that’s a fine reason to forgo the eating of such nuts. But there is also the added benefit of superior taste and texture, so it’s a win/win. From now on, all satay sauce should just be made with almonds, it’s safer. And more delicious.

Go forth and eat your almonds with a fine roasty stout and chicken hot off the grill. 

 

Beer Chicken Satay with Almond Stout Dipping Sauce

5 from 2 votes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

Chicken Skewers:

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves grated with microplane
  • 1 cup 8 oz full-fat coconut milk from a well shaken can
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame chili oil
  • 1 lbs chicken thighs cut into cubes
  • ½ cup beer (pilsner, pale ale, lager)

Satay sauce:

  • ¼ cup 64g smooth almond butter
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame chili oil
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon coconut milk from a tin
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons stout beer

Instructions
 

  • Stir together all the chicken skewer ingredients (except the chicken), add the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour and up to 24.
  • Preheat the grill to medium high.
  • Thread the chicken through skewers. Add the chicken skewers to the grill, cooking on both sides until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
  • Stir together the satay sauce ingredients.
  • Serve the chicken alongside the satay sauce.

Grilled Beer Butter Scallops with Cherry Salsa

Grilled Beer Butter Scallops with Cherry Salsa, with a grill or a grill pan!

Let’s talk scallops for a second. I know, I’ve given you this lecture before but it’s been a while. And I can’t just go around assuming you remember everything I say, I forget half of what I say on a daily basis. 

I know the reason your home-cooked scallops don’t taste as good as the ones you buy at a restaurant, and it’s a really easy fix. There are two ways to buy scallops: “wet” and “dry.” A wet scallop with be soaked in a phosphate solution to preserve it. This makes it taste soapy and gives it a bit of a rubbery texture. Unfortunately, the vast majority of scallops sold in US markets are wet. Dry scallops are more expensive, harder to come by, but infinitely tastier.

If you can’t find dry scallops, the best way to treat a wet scallops is a quick brine. If you aren’t sure if your scallops are wet or dry (or your fish guy gives you a vacant stare when you ask) they’re probably wet. Just assume they’re wet unless you know for sure they aren’t. 

Have you ever been cooking scallops, just minding your own business, and they start weeping out a milky liquid like they hate you? That’s the phosphate solution we need to get rid of, the extra step is well worth it. 

You don’t even have to tell anyone that you know the secret. You can just cook the best scallops they’ve ever had and just pretend like it’s your magic shellfish touch. I won’t tell. 

Grilled Beer Butter Scallops with Cherry Salsa

5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

Scallops:

  • 1 lbs colossal or jumbo scallops
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 cup (8oz) beer pale lager, pilsner, wheat beer
  • 4 tablespoons (57g) butter, melted
  • ¼ cup (2oz) beer
  • Creamy polenta or rice for serving

Salsa:

  • cup (½ lbs) pitted and quartered Bing cherries
  • 1 jalapeno seeded and minced
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) minced shallots
  • 2 tablespoons (4g) minced cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) lime juice
  • pinch salt

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl add the scallops. Fill with water, drain. Repeat until the water is no longer milky. Drain the water off, leave the scallops in the bowl.
  • Sprinkle with salt and cover with beer. Refrigerate for 2 to 12 hours. Rinse and drain. Add to a stack of paper towels to fully dry the scallops.
  • Combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl, chill until ready to use.
  • Preheat a grill (or grill pan) to medium high.
  • Stir together the butter and the beer. Brush the scallops liberally.
  • Place on the grill (or grill pan), brush again with butter. Flip when grill marks appear, cook on the other side until grill marks appear.
  • Serve topped with cherry salsa.