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Roasted Asparagus with Beer Béarnaise Sauce

17.02.2014 12 Comments

I’m living in a maze of boxes that seem to push up from the ground like stalagmites in a mid century modern cave. The move is just a week away, starting with a meandering drive up Highway 1 with my fat lazy bulldog. And still, it doesn’t seem real. The 78 degree days, don’t feel like the last open-the-back-door-bare-feet-outside kind of weekend for a while.

I keep forgetting that those restaurant I’ve been meaning to go to won’t be eaten at and the friends I haven’t seen in a while probably won’t be seen again.

It doesn’t quite feel like I’ll be calling Seattle home in just a handful of days. That the amazing restaurants and breweries I’ve only heard about will be my new haunts. That those incredible oyster bars will be down the street and that I’ll be able to grab a quick drink with the friends I’ve accumulated up in the Pacific Northwest.

It still feels like I’m caught in a bit of an undertow and I’m not sure what the view will be like once I come up for air. But I do know that although I’m leaving the best produce state in the nation (California grows half of all the produce grown in the USA), I am going to a state that has an incredible amount to offer when it comes to food. Asparagus will probably become an obsession once I’m in the state that grows it best.

Asparagus, oysters, beer. I’m pretty sure I can handle the rain with a good beer and some great food.

Roasted Asparagus with Beer Béarnaise Sauce

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Ingredients

2 lbs asparagus washed and dried
2 tbs olive oil
½ tsp kosher or sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ cup pale ale
2 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs chopped shallots
2 tbs tarragon
1 tbs chervil
3 egg yolks
½ cup unsalted butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425.
Cut off the bottom 1 to 2 inches of asparagus (the tough woody ends).
Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss to coat.
Roast for 8-10 minutes (longer for asparagus that’s very thick).
While the asparagus is cooking, start making the sauce.
In a pan over medium high heat, add the beer, vinegar, shallots, tarragon and chervil. Cook until reduced by about half.
Put the beer mixture in a blender with the egg yolks, blend on high for three minutes.
Heat the butter until very hot and steamy. Remove the cap from the blenders top. While the blender is running, slowly add the butter in a slow steady stream. Continue to blend on high for 2 more minutes. Sauce should resemble slightly thin mayonnaise. Plate the asparagus, pour desired amount of sauce over just before servings, or serve sauce alone side.

I start my drive up the West Coast in just one week. Join me, it’s going to be a big move and a big adventure. I’d love to have you along for the ride.

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Roasted Broccoli with Beer Cheese Sauce

11.11.2013 12 Comments

Leave it to me to take a perfectly healthy and delicious side dish, like roasted broccoli, and pour a bunch of cheese and beer all over it, effectively negating most of the health benefits.

But really, it’s for your own good. There’s a good chance you’re sitting there planning a menu, a Turkey centric, end it with pie, If I don’t eat too much I’m doing it wrong, type of late November meal. Me too.

We’ve got the main dish down, and potatoes are all set, lots of pies (probably too many), but then those wily vegetable side dishes always come last. Is green bean casserole really enough green stuff? Should I have more?

Yes. You should have some roasted broccoli, serve it with a side of cheese sauce to match the excessive gluttony level of the rest of the table.

You wouldn’t want it to feel left out.

Roasted Broccoli with Beer Cheese Sauce

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Beer Cheese Sauce

2 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
2 tbs corn starch
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup pale ale
8 wt oz cheddar cheese not pre shredded

For the Broccoli:

3 lbs broccoli florets cut into bite sized pieces
3-4 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

In a pot over medium heat melt the butter.
Sprinkle with flour and cornstarch, whisk until thickened. Cook, whisking continually for three minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and the beer, stirring to make sure no lumps remain.
About ¼ cup at a time, add the cheese, whisking between addition until the cheese has completely melted. Make sure to adjust heat to make sure it does not boil.
Preheat oven to 400.
Add the broccoli to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic and salt. Toss to coat.
Roast at 400 for 10-15 minutes until fork tender and edges have started to crisp.
Serve with cheese sauce on the side or drizzled on top.

Beer Cheese Corn Spoon Bread & How To Throw a Craft Beer Thanksgiving

07.11.2013 11 Comments

As we fly through the fall, hurdling towards the holiday season, our first major stop will be the festival of glutton that I love so much. While many of you will show up to your respective Thanksgiving feasts bearing bottles of wine, craft beer has earned a spot in America’s Favorite Meal. But there is a bit of a dilemma when it comes to pairing beer with such a huge spread, since very (very) few gatherings this large will allow the opportunity to pair a different beer with each dish, you need to pick beers that play well with many others.

Pick three separate beers for the meal progressoin. The first to pair with the appetizers that you’ve set out as your guests arrive, the second beer to pair with the poultry centric main attraction, and the third for the dessert round.

The Appetizer Beer should be like the food, a warm up for whats to come. Nothing overwhelming, you don’t want to wreck you guest palates before the meals have even begun. Look for something refreshing, clean and bright to get people ready for the onslaught of flavors that are about to come their way. My picks:

Ommegang Witte

Rogue Good Chit Pilsner

Drakes Blonde Ale

The Main Event Beer has to pair with everything from turkey to jello salad (don’t pretend like you don’t have an aunt that always brings that) so it has to be versatile. Look for a beer thats earthy, malty, moderately carbonated and low(ish) hops, you want the beer to highlight the food, not fight with it. My picks:

Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale

The Bruery Saison Rue

Schlafly Bière De Garde

Dessert Beer will give you a bit more flexibility. You will probably have an assortment of pies ranging from fruit to chocolate, so you’ll need a beer that can mesh well with what you have. Since this is the final offering, it’s OK to go off the rails a bit and mix it up. I love to end a big meal with a malty, big, barrel aged beer, or a strong barleywine beer, it’s a dessert all on it’s own. My picks:

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

Southern Tier Backburner

North Coast Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin

So now that you’ve got the beer down, it’s time to think about the menu.

Until the end of time there are two beerified offerings that will always grace my late November Holiday Table:

Beer Brined Turkey

Hefeweizen Honey Dinner Rolls

But you might need more than just turkey and rolls, although those do happen to be the cornerstones of the leftover sandwiches. Here are a few more beerified offerings for your holiday table:

Beer Cheese Skillet Potatoes

Stove Top Beer & Bacon Mac n Cheese

Pumpkin Ale Farro Roasted Asparagus Pomegranate and Goat Cheese Salad

IPA Sweet Potato Mash

Chipotle White Ale Cranberry Sauce

Porter Pecan Pie

Bruleed Pumpkin Beer Pie

Apple Pie with Pale Ale Mascarpone Cream and Beer Pie Dough

Mile High Chocolate Stout Pie

And for that Black Friday Pick me Up: Sriracha Bloody Beer with Chili Sugar Bacon

And don’t forget about this Midwestern treat that I appropriately beerified, the corn soufflé that goes by many names and usually includes a box of Jiffy mix. Today we skip the mixes in favor of some real life cheese, beer and all kinds of deliciousness.

Beer Cheese Corn Spoon Bread

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Ingredients

6 tbs butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup pale ale beer
8 wt oz cheddar grated
3 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen, not canned
2/3 cup cornmeal
¼ cup sour cream
3 large eggs separated
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
pinch cayenne

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375.
In a pot over medium heat melt the butter.
Sprinkle with flour, whisk until thickened and light brown in color, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the milk and beer until well combined.
About ¼ cup a time, stir in the cheese, stirring until completely incorporated between additions. Stir in the corn kernels and cornmeal, remove from heat.
In a small bowl whish together the egg yolks (reserve the whites), sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne. Stir the egg yolk mixture into the corn mixture.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Stir the egg whites into the corn mixture.
Pour the mixture into a greased 2qt baking dish.
Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until the edges start to turn light golden brown.

Beer Cheese Skillet Potatoes

15.10.2013 17 Comments

I’m on a book tour as I write this, traveling the West Coast somewhere between Mexico and Canada, hoping my way from brewery to brewery. Nothing like a good old fashion beer pilgrimage to inspired patriotism and re-ignite the wanderlust in my gypsy soul. From the backwoods of wine country, to small towns that defy identification from Google Mapping, to orchards in the Pacific Northwest, to the beer lovers whom I’ve shared pints with, this has been an incredible journey that is nowhere near over.

In the process of writing this blog, falling in love with craft beer and her people, I’ve had the incredible fortune to count some of the fine folks at Stone Brewing among my fans. In fact, Stone was the first supporter to share my posts with their fans when I started this blog, an incredible honor. And now, if that wasn’t enough, they even want to host a stop on my book tour. Lucky for me, and for anyone who wants to grab a pint with me, Stone Brewing is an amazing place for some beer tasting with an incredible selection of beer that’s hard to come by. Making those who are able to grab a pint on location all the more fortunate.

For this recipe, I grabbed two great Stone beers that will both work equally well. I’ve made it with both beers (although you only need to choose one) and both gave excellent results. Beer cheese can be made with any type of beer, but for that great big bold beer punch a high hopped beer works best. And no one knows there way around a hopped up beer like Stone Brewing. First I used the get-it-while-its-hot Enjoy By 11.12.13 IPA, a beer with a manic following and Must Drink Now warning label. Grab one if you see it in a beer store, they won’t last. I also grabbed Stone Brewing's black IPA the Sublimely Self Righteous, a great beer for those of us that love when those roasted malt flavors make their way into a higher IBU beers. Either way, it’s a recipe for those of us who love the bitterness that only a well made IPA can bring.

Beer Cheese Skillet Potatoes

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Ingredients

2/3 cup beer IPA, hoppy pale ale, or black IPA
2 cups 6 wt oz shredded sharp cheddar, plus ¼ cup divided
½ cup whole milk
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs butter
1.5 lbs russet potatoes sliced
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
In a food processor add the beer, 2 cups cheese, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cornstarch. Process until very smooth, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the potato slices and cook until browned. Spread the potatoes out until farily evenly distributed around the pan.
Pour cheese sauce over the potatoes and allow to simmer for ten minutes.
Add the remaining 1.4 cup cheese and panko bread crumbs to the top. Transfer to the oven and allow to cook until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes.

Garlic Beer Cheese Rolls

02.10.2013 17 Comments

My book tour kicks off in a few days and one of my first stops is at Bear Republic, one of my favorite California breweries. On October 10th, from 6:30 to 8:30 I’ll be at the pub in Healdsburg hanging out, signing books, hoping to meet some of you and gleefully consuming some Bourbon Smokey Bear Stout. Join me, if you’re in the area, sit down and have a beer with me.

It was the beauty of Racer 5 IPA that introduced me to Bear Republic, quickly becoming a go-to favorite of mine, one I always have on hand at parties. It’s a crowd pleaser with just the right amount of hops to give you what you want but not overwhelm, it gives a perfect balance.

Because of that perfectly balanced hop kick, it’s a great beer-cheese-beer. Even more perfect to stuff that beer cheese inside a tender garlic filled roll for an awesomely beer flavored garlic cheese roll that can be a meal all in itself. But really, it’s just about being responsible when drinking, you need to eat something to soak up all that fantastic Racer 5 you be able to put down.

Join me October 10th, 2013 6:30-8:30, at Bear Republic!

Garlic Beer Cheese Rolls

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Dough

3 cups all purpose flour
1 envelope rapid rise yeast 2 ¼ tsp
1 tbs white sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup IPA beer
1 tsp salt
¼ cup olive oil

For the Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese
6 wt oz cheddar cheese shredded (about 2 cups)
½ cup IPA
3 cloves garlic grated with a microplane
½ tsp salt

For the Topping:

3 wt oz cheddar shredded (about 1 cup)

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add the flour, yeast, sugar and garlic powder. Mix until combined.
In a microwave safe bowl add the beer. Microwave on high for 20 seconds, test temperature with a cooking thermometer and repeat until temperature reaches between 120 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the beer to the stand mixer and mix on medium speed. Once most of the dough has been moistened, add the oil and sprinkle with the salt while the mixer is still running.
Turn speed to high and beat until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Allow to sit in a warm room until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from bowl and add to a lightly floured surface. Knead several times, roll out into a rectangle about 10 inches by 18 inches.
Add all of the filling ingredients to a food processor, process until smooth and well combined, about 5 minutes.
Spread the filling evenly across the dough. Starting at the long edge roll the dough into a log. Cut the dough into 8 rolls, each about 2 inches wide. Place cut side down into a baking dish. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Serve warm.

I use this Microplane to turn a clove of garlic into paste in a second. (Affiliate link)

Grilled Romaine Salad with IPA Caesar Dressing

02.07.2013 28 Comments

In the world of salad dressing, there isn’t a more fiercely debated member than Caesar. Some swear that the only way to make it is by hand, table side, others claim blasphemy if not strictly adhering to the original recipe, invited in the 1920’s in Tijuana Mexico by Caesar Cardini, while some insist that it’s not Caesar dressing without anchovies. All of these camps, win or lose, are still people who get riled up over a sauce that goes over lettuce, therefore I can’t fully respect any of them. It’s a condiment, lighten up.

My version, by sheer inclusion of the beer, can never really be held up as a true Caesar dressing. And while anchovies aren’t in the original version, the anchovy heavy Worcestershire sauce that was use is no longer available, making them essential to grab that true taste.

The inspiration for this dish came from a guy who used to frequent the restaurant I work at in college. He would order a Caesar salad, no grilled chicken thank-you-very-much, a shot of IPA, and a chocolate milk shake made with equal parts stout and milk. He would then pour about a tablespoon of the IPA on his salad and drink the rest. At the time I thought it was really strange, but he was a good tipper and I was a good smiler (all you need when you’re 19 and bring guys beer and food) so I encouraged his habits. The more I saw him, watched his obvious excitement when his beer flavored meal arrived, the more I understood how all those flavors worked (although I’m not sure I’d pair a milk shake with a Caesar salad).

It stayed with me, this beer-salad-beer-milk-shake diet he seemed to live on, and now I’m on board. He was on to something.

Grilled Romaine Salad with IPA Caesar Dressing

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Ingredients

For the Salad:

2 Romaine hearts cut lengthwise
2 tbs olive oil
½ cup parmesan
Croutons

For the Dressing:

6 anchovies filets packed in oil
1 clove garlic smashed
2 egg yolks room temperature
½ tsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup IPA room temperature
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbs parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat the grill to medium high heat.
Brush the cut side of the lettuce with olive oil. Place on the grill, cut side down, until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes.
In a blender or food processor add the anchovies, garlic, egg yolks, mustard, and beer. Blend until well combined and light and frothy, about 3 minutes.
Heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking (20 seconds in a microwave is sufficient). While the food processor is running, slowly add the oil, drop by drop, until an emulsion forms. Add the salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese, pulse to combine.
Place each Romaine half on a plate, drizzle with dressing, top with remaining Parmesan and croutons. Serve with knife and fork.

This is how I make homemade croutons.

Warm Duck Fat Roasted Potato Salad with IPA Mustard Vinaigrette (with vegetarian option)

18.06.2013 11 Comments

The anemic looking, plastic tub dwelling potato salads of my youth put a pervasive distain in my culinary soul for the union of the words "potato" and "salad." It wasn’t until I found a non-mayo based version that I really started to see potential. While I’ve used sour cream, blue cheese dressing and even bacon garlic aioli, the mustard vinaigrette edition is a fun twist. I also like to roast the potatoes rather than boil them, it prevents the possibility of the over cooked mush and it brings out flavors that might otherwise be washed away in boiling salted water.

For the vinaigrette I used an IPA from a brewery not to far from me, Noble Ale Works out of San Diego. A newer brewery that, rumor has it, just celebrated their second anniversary. Like most brewers I’ve been lucky enough to come across, this team seems profoundly dedicated to what they do, fiercely loyal to to their community, and in near constant pursuit of the perfect brew.

Big Whig IPA is a fine example of a West Coast IPA, with a bold hoppyness that’s balance with a pale male, citrus notes, a bit of caramel and some pine. The accessibility of this beer makes it perfect to add to your summer beer rotation and the light seasonally appropriate flavors make it perfect for a salad dressing.

Warm Duck Fat Roasted Potato Salad with IPA Mustard Vinaigrette (with vegetarian option)

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs red potatoes cut into small cubes
2 tbs duck fat use olive oil for vegetarian
1 tsp salt
¼ cup chopped shallots
1 clove garlic smashed
¼ cup stone ground mustard
1 tbs honey
¼ cup IPA
¼ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 weight ounces crumbled Roquefort cheese about 1/3 cup
¼ cup flat leaf parsley chopped
½ cup shelled peas

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400.
Heat the duck fat (or olive oil for vegetarian) in a large oven safe skillet (cast iron preferred). Add potato cubes and 1 tsp salt, tossing to coat. Cook until potatoes start to brown, about 5 mintues. Transfer skillet to oven and roast for 20 minutes or until fork tender.
In a blender or small food processor, add the shallots, garlic, mustard, honey, IPA, smoked paprika, pepper and ½ tsp salt, process until well combined, about 2 minutes.
In a large bowl add the potatoes, mustard vinaigrette, green onions, blue cheese, parsley and peas, toss to coat. Serve warm.

I use this Duck Fat because it’s well priced and good quality. A little goes a long way so one jar will last a while. (Affiliate Link)

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Mirin Stout Glazed Roast Chicken with Maple Sweet Potatoes topped with Caramelized Shallots and Balsamic Glaze

26.04.2013 20 Comments

When I first got into food blogging I had this idea that I would just take pictures of my dinner and post the recipe online. Somewhere between installing Google Analytics and starting an LLC, I realized that I was cooking in order to develop content rather than just posting what I was eating.

I guess that’s inevitable when I started to earn an income and see my website as a small business. I also realized that although I often stray from who I am as a cook in order to cultivate blog hits, I love cooking, I love food and I got in this business because of those things. When the recipes you love get ignored and the ones you don’t have strong feelings about go viral, it’s hard not to just continue to post those Pandering to the Masses recipes that go viral, but I know that I am the most happy when I cook the food I want to cook and hope that you love it, too.

I loved the way this came out, even though I know it wont go viral. It’s how I like to eat, and how I like to spend my time in the kitchen, hope you don’t mind too much.

Mirin Stout Glazed Roast Chicken with Maple Sweet Potatoes topped with Caramelized Shallots and Balsamic Glaze

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Ingredients

For the Brine:

2 cups water
3 tbs kosher salt
12 ounces brown ale
2 cups ice
4 chicken leg quarters or 1 whole roasting chicken, cut into quarters

For the Glaze:

1 cup stout
2/3 cup mirin
¼ cup soy sauce
½ tsp chili powder
1 tbs cornstarch
3 tbs honey

For the Sweet Potatoes:

2 large shallots sliced (2/3 cup)
2 tbs butter plus 4 tbs divided
1 tbs oil
3 large sweet potatoes peeled and sliced
2 tbs real maple syrup
2 tbs heavy cream
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ salt
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3 tbs balsamic gaze

Instructions

In a pot over medium high heat, add the water and the salt. Stir until salt has dissolved, remove from heat, add the beer and ice. Stir until ice has dissolved and brine is at room temperature or below.
Add the chicken quarters to a large bowl. Pour the brine over the chicken, cover loosely with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 425F.
Add the stout, mirin, soy, chili powder, cornstarch and honey, whisk to combine. Add sauce pan to high heat, allow to boil until slightly reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place a wire rack over the foil lined baking sheet.
Remove chicken from brine, discard the brine. Rinse the chicken well and pat dry. Place chicken on the wire rack.
Brush liberally with the glaze.
Roast at 425F for 45 to 55 minutes, brush with glaze every 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven when the internal temperature reaches 175F.
While the chicken is cooking make the sweet potatoes. In a saucepan, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat until caramelized, about 20 minutes.
Boil the potatoes in a pot of lightly salted water until fork tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain, return sweet potatoes to the dry pot. Add 4 tbs butter, cream, maple syrup, salt, and nutmeg, mash with a potato masher until well combined and potatoes are well mashed, transfer to a serving dish. Top with caramelized shallots, chopped pecans and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Notes

Balsamic glaze can be bought at the store, often by the balsamic vinegar, or you can make it by reducing 1 cup balsamic and 1 tbs white sugar or honey in a saucepan until reduced and thickened.

Brown Ale And Cheddar Grits With Pancetta And Crispy Sage

20.12.2012 19 Comments

I like homebrewers. Mostly because they give me beer, but also because there is this fascination with flavors and a "What Would This Taste Like?!" attitude that is at the core of every food bloggers culinary soul. I feel like they get me. They have an understanding of why I write down crazy ideas, unexplored flavor combinations that may be doomed to fail, just to see if it can be done.

I’m not a homebrewer, its actually a little intimidating to me. Someday, when my life is a little less hectic, I want to take the Mash Tun Plunge. But for now, I’ll setting for drinking the concoctions of others. I did learn recently that the more recent rise in popularity of brown ales has been credited to the massive increase in homebrewing and the popularity of the style with the homebrewer. I’d never though of it, but it seems to be true. Most of the brown ale I’ve had in the past few months has come from someones closet. I do love a great brown ale, to drink with as well as to add to my cheese grits. I guess saving the Brown Ale from extinction is another reason I can love the homebrewer.

Brown Ale And Cheddar Grits With Pancetta And Crispy Sage

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Ingredients

2 ½ cups whole milk
¾ cups brown ale
1 cup regular corn grits not instant
1 cup smoked cheddar
½ cup whole milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
pinch cayenne
3 tbs butter diced
3 oz diced pancetta
5 Sage leaves chopped (about 2 tbs)

Instructions

Add the milk and beer to a large pot, bring to a gently simmer, slowly whisk in the grits. Allow to simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 20 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the cheese, milk, salt, pepper, onion powder and butter, stir until completely combined.
In a separate pan add the pancetta and cook until browned and most of the fat has been rendered, do not burn. Add the sage and cook for about 30 seconds or until crispy. Drain.
Serve grits topped with pancetta and sage.

Stove Top Beer And Bacon Mac And Cheese

09.10.2012 52 Comments

I’m not a beer snob. To be honest, the term has always rubbed against the grain.

I’m a beer fan, a beer lover, a girl fascinated by beer, but I’m not a snob.

I spent years on the fringes of the music industry in LA, and the beer snobs I meet now echo those same phrases I heard then. And so do my responses.

If you loved The Killers when we saw them play free shows at The Spaceland, you should still love them when they win Grammys.

Good music, is good music. Regardless of how many, or how few, other people like it.

If you loved Rogue Dead Guy Ale when no one carried it, you should still love it when it has mass distribution.

Good beer, is good beer. Regardless of how many, or how few, other people like it.

At a beer event a few months ago I asked the rep from North Coast Brewing why he hadn’t brought any Scrimshaw, "The Beer Snobs would eat me alive if I poured that!" And then whispered to me that it was what he drank more than anything else.

Stop doing that.

Good beer is good beer. Don’t be afraid to drink what you like, even if everyone else likes it too.

In celebration of good beer, I give you my favorite one pot, quick and easy, make this for Thanksgiving, you will never make it from a box again, Mac & Cheese. Hope you still love it even when everyone else does too.

Stove Top Beer And Bacon Mac And Cheese

Print Recipe

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups elbow macaroni
4 strips of bacon cut in half
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
2/3 cup beer pale ale, blonde, bock, and Hef work well, an IPA will give you a very strong beer flavor
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese fresh grated, pre-shreaded has additives that prevents it from melting properly
2 tbs butter
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Instructions

In a large pot of boiling water, add the noodles and cook until just before done. Don't over-cook the noodles or this will end up mushy.
Drain the pasta, return the pot to the stove and cook the bacon until crispy, remove from pot and allow to cool.
Drain off bacon grease and return drained noodles to the pot.
In a separate bowl, add the beer, egg and sour cream, beat until well combined.
Add the butter and the beer mixture to the noodles and return to medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted.
About 1/4 a cup at a time, add the cheese. Stir until cheese has melted before adding more.
Add the spices and chopped bacon, stir.

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Beer Steamed Stuffed Artichokes & How to Stuff an Artichoke

06.08.2012 11 Comments

Here’s my artichoke. We’re going to gut him and stuff him with bacon.

And then cook him in beer.

The first step is to trim. Start with peeling off a few layers of the outside leaves They’re tough and not very good, don’t feel bad about getting rid of them.

And if your artichoke has a long stem, trim it so that it can stand upright, with its leaves pointed at the sky. That will come in handy later.

Then you are going to cut off the pointed tip of the artichoke.

Then use a pair a kitchen sheers, (or, lets be honest regular scissors will be fine) to trim the pointed tips off of all of the leaves.

Starting at the outside and working towards the inside, pull the leaves outward.

Once you get to the inside leaves that are yellow and purple, you are going to want to remove these. There is a lot of waste with stuffed artichokes, just accept it and move on.

This part isn’t easy. If you are having a hard time, that’s normal. The best way to do it is to dig at it with a melon baller. And swear at it a few times to put it in it’s place.

Feel the inside to make sure it’s smooth and none of that hairy choke is left behind. If it still feels fuzzy, keep digging. And swearing, if it helps.

Squeeze half a lemon into the cavity of the artichoke.

Next you want to make the filling (recipe below).

Stuff the filling inside the middle of the artichoke. Starting at the outside, spread the leaves out and press the filling inside the leaves, work your way in until all the leaves are full.

Place in an oven safe pot, standing upright. Pour 1 1/2 cup citrusy wheat beer into the bottom of the pot.

Cover with a lid or tin foil and bake at 375 for 40-60 minutes or until the outer leaves come away easily.

Beer Steamed Stuffed Artichokes

Print Recipe

Ingredients

4 large artichokes prepared as above
1 large lemon
4 strips of bacon
1/3 cup chopped shallots
4 cloves garlic minced
1 cup mushrooms chopped
1 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella
2 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 cups citrusy wheat beer

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375
Prepare artichokes as instructed above, squeeze 1/4 lemon into the cavity of each artichoke.
In a pan over medium high heat, cook the bacon until browned. Remove from pan, and chop. Drain off most of the bacon grease, leaving about 2 tbs in the pan. Add the shallots and cook until soft. Add the garlic and stir. Add the mushrooms and cook until dark brown. Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients as well as the chopped bacon (other than the beer), stir until well combined.
Stuff the artichokes as instructed above.
Place artichokes upright in the pot, fill with 1 cup beer.
Cover and cook until outer leaves come away easily, about 40-60 minutes.

Jalapeno IPA Hummus

19.07.2012 23 Comments

This recipe has been in my brain for a while.

For weeks it’s been taunting me, begging to be flushed out, poured into my food processor and immortalized in internet print.

And this weekend three failed attempts to make IPA lemon bars that never really gave me the results I was hoping for coupled with this tweet:

gave this hummus it’s shot.

And I’m so glad that the stars didn’t align and the beer cooking God’s didn’t smile upon the IPA lemon bars (which have become my culinary nemesis, mocking me with vague imperfections) because this hummus was exactly what I wanted on a hot day. It didn’t last long.

For this recipe, I used one of my favorite IPA’s, Ballast Point’s Sculpin IPA. A beautiful example of an IPA, even if this one was sans Habaneros.

Jalapeno IPA Hummus

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Ingredients

2 fresh jalapenos stemmed, seeded and chopped (about 1/4 cup)
3 tbs tahini
1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans drained
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 tbs olive oil
1 lime juiced (about 1 tbs)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup IPA Beer plus additional if needed

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth. Add additional IPA for a thinner dip. Serve with pita or chips.
*Note: most of the heat from Jalapenos are in the seeds. If you want a hotter hummus, you can leave the seeds in. If the finished dip is too mild, add 1/4 tsp chili powder for a spicier dip

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Beer Braised Potatoes With Rosemary Beer Gravy

18.07.2012 19 Comments

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A reader from Iceland emailed me last week to ask what I listen to when I’m cooking. "You seem like a music girl," she said.

Music, food, beer, it all seems to be a different parts of the same creature and just like food can find a matched pair with beer or wine, music is the same way.

Making these potatoes I was lured to music that was timeless, earthy and effortless. Here is a bit of that list:

Something In The Way She Moves, James Taylor

Tampa To Tulsa, The Jayhawks

Torn In My Pride, The Black Crows

Fortune Teller, Robert Plant

Wicker Chair, Kings Of Leon (this was off a Demo they made before they were famous, handed to me late one night on Sunset by Nathan. I’m not sure if it is still available online, but I still listen to that Demo all the time)

Red House, Shudder To Think

Duncan, Delta Spirit

;

Between prep, braise and eating, this is the music that joined me and the potatoes in the kitchen. A slow, lazy Sunday afternoon playlist that was a perfect compliment to a timeless potato dish.

And the beer that came along for the ride was Damnation by Russian River. A Belgian style beer that gave the starch in the potatoes a beautiful push forward in taste. If you’re a craft beer fan, or just starting to grow in curiosity about the subject, Russian River should be counted among the Craft Beer Meccas of the world. Seek out the beers they make, and plan to stop by the brewery if you ever find yourself in Northern California, or the West Coast, for that matter.

;

Beer Braised Potatoes With Rosemary Beer Gravy

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Ingredients

For The Potatoes:
2 tbs butter
1 large shallot chopped (1/3 cup)
1 lbs red potatoes chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup beer
1 tsp black pepper
For The Gravy:
2 tbs flour
1/3 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325. In an oven safe Dutch Oven or pot with a lid (check that all knobs are oven safe) melt butter. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.
Add the potatoes and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, pour beer over potatoes, add rosemary, pepper and salt. Cover with lid and place pot in the oven until potatoes are fork tender, about 18-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and return to stove. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes and set aside.
Add the flour and stock, whisk over medium high heat until thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve potatoes with gravy.

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Homemade Beer Ricotta

05.06.2012 17 Comments

There are foods that I relent to making from scratch, taking hours to carve a meal out of whole ingredients. Hours spend on homemade pasta, breads, pie dough and sauces. The extra time is more than worth it for real food, feed to those I love from the earth, to my hands to the table.

And then there are things that take so little time and effort, I am amazed that it took me so long to start making them from scratch.

Like whipped cream, tortillas and ricotta.

The active time on this recipe is so little, and the reward is so great, I will never buy it again. No special equipment or difficult to find ingredients. No extensive aging times or unusual techniques. Just a few simple ingredients and a stove.

Spread it on bread and top with fresh vegetables.

Make homemade ricotta ice cream.

Stuffed cannellonis.

Ricotta Cheesecake.

You might need to make a double batch.

This is recipe that needs a wheat beer. The citrusy breadyness comes through in really great way. I used Colete By Great Divide. The flavors were perfect for this ricotta and lent themselves well to either sweet or savory recipes using the cheese.

I was grateful that I bought a six pack, this is a beer that will make it’s way in my normal drinking and cooking rotation.

Homemade Beer Ricotta

3 cups whole milk (do not use Ultra-Pasterized, it won’t work)

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup Saison beer, Plus 2 tbs divided

3 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar (you can also use lemon juice, or a combination of the two)

Makes about 1 1/4 cups

In a pot over medium high heat (do not use an aluminum pan) add the milk, cream, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/3 cup beer.

Clip a cooking thermometer onto the side of the pan.

Bring the liquid to 190 degrees, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from scorching. Keep a close eye on it, the liquid reaches and passes 190 very quickly and you don’t want it rising above 200.

Remove from heat, add the 2 tbs beer and then the vinegar (or lemon juice) and stir gently once or twice. It should curdle immediately. Allow to sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes.

Line a large strainer with 1 or 2 layers of cheese cloth, place the strainer in the sink over a large bowl.

Pour the ricotta into the strainer and allow to drain for 15 to 30 minutes and up to an hour.

After 15 minutes you will have a smooth creamy spreadable cheese. As you continue to allow it to drain, it will become more and more firm. It will also continue to firm once it is chilled, remove it from the strainer before it reaches the firmness level you want as it will continue to firm up in the fridge.

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

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Cheddar Beer Bread Muffins

31.05.2012 8 Comments

I’ve noticed something about you.

You seem to have no interest in healthy beer recipes. You want your beer recipes to be a flagrant indulgence of full-flavored stimulation. You want chocolate and bacon and sugar and whatever else I can manage to squeeze into your meal.

I like that about you.

No "semi-homemade" or "skinny" versions will do for your beer baking, you want it to be bold and extravagant, diet repercussions be damned. You also have no problem with my recipes that take hours, making Bacon Beer Jam with delighted voracity.

So it is by pure accident that I offer to you a recipe that only takes 5 minutes to throw together and less than 20 to bake, allowing you to get a fully flavored beer muffin on your table in less than a half an hour.

Although I know you would have been more than willing to spend much longer. I appreciate your tenacity.

For these Beer Bread Muffins, I used Lagunitas Red, a special release that’s just so fun to drink.

Beer Bread Muffins

Cheddar Beer Bread Muffins

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Servings 8 muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus additional for topping, if desired
2 tbs chopped green onions
1/4 cup melted butter plus 2 additional tbs, divided
3/4 cup beer

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray.
In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cheese and onions, stir until well combined. Pour in 1/4 a cup of melted butter plus the 6 oz of beer, stir until just combined.
Pour batter into muffin tins until each well is about 1/2 full. Pour remaining 2 tbs of butter onto the tops of the muffins, dividing evenly between each muffin. Top with additional cheese, if desired.
Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until the muffins have puffed and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Serve immediately, these are best right out of the oven.

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Beer and Bacon Jam

22.05.2012 53 Comments

Beer and bacon in a spreadable form, this may be the best thing to ever come out of my kitchen. It is a simple food, a few ingredients that over time become large with flavor and possibilities. A conversation piece, something your guest won’t forget, or a handmade gift for those carnivorous beer lovers in your life. Although the cooking time is long, your active time is relatively short.

This is the perfect way to spend a lazy sunday afternoon: The smell of bacon welling up around you in a sun soaked kitchen with Delta Spirit rising from the speakers and the rest of the demanding world no longer existing. Just you, music and the transformation of ingredients happening on your stove. Cooking, creating, lingering in my kitchen gives a very grounded feeling to my over extend life. A reminder that I need to slow down and enjoy, just be. A recipe that ask little of me other that the time it takes to simply simmer is a reminder of that, just be.

Beer & Bacon Jam

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Ingredients

12 oz thick sliced bacon 8-10 thick strips
4 cloves of garlic smashed
1/2 cup yellow onion chopped
1 1/4 cups amber ale or imperial stout divided
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup brown sugar

Instructions

In a large pot or dutch oven, cook the bacon, working in batches if neccessary. Remove the bacon from the pan and allow to cool and then roughly chop. Drain off the bacon grease from the pot, leaving only about 1 tbs bacon drippings in the bottom of the pot. Return the pot to heat and cook the onions until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup beer and both vinegars, scraping to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Add the brown sugar and the bacon, reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Place the lid on the pot at an angle, allowing to vent the steam. Cook until reduced to a thick and syrupy consistency, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a food processor along with remaining 1/4 cup beer and pulse until most of the large pieces have been chopped.
Serve at room temperature.

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Jalapeno Pale Ale Cornbread

21.02.2012 10 Comments

The past few weeks I’ve been craving summer. I live in Los Angeles, so feel free to laugh at my inability to cope with a mild seasonal chill. It isn’t so much the weather of the Summer months that I miss, but the culture of the season. Backyard barbecues, a slower life pace, vacations and water related activities. There is something about the way that summer feels in my bones, the feeling of endless possibilities that the days bring that I miss. Cornbread is an epicurean reminder of what I’m missing out on, and brings a comfort that the Summer isn’t too far away.

Beer is a great way to add a new dimension to cornbread. Not only is it a leavening agent, insuring that your bread won’t be overly dense, it is also a preservative, giving you a few extra days to consume it. But I don’t think you’ll need them.

I chose Stone 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale because it has a beautiful chili flavor, without the heat, a hard thing to accomplish. It also has a bit of a cinnamon and spice finish that pairs very well with a recipe that runs the line between savory and sweet.

If you can’t get your hands on this beer, look for a pale ale with strong, bold flavors of chili and spice.

Jalapeno Pale Ale Cornbread

Jalapeno Pale Ale Cornbread

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Ingredients

3 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs chopped fresh jalapenos seeds removed
¾ cup whole milk
¾ cup dry polenta course corn meal
¾ cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp salt
¾ cup pale ale with notes of spice I used Stone 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale
2 eggs
1 tbs raw honey
1 cup corn kernels fresh is better. If you use frozen, make sure they are thawed
2 tbs melted unsalted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Spray a large, deep dish loaf pan generously with butter flavored cooking spray.
In a sauce pan over medium/heat, add the butter and the jalapenos and cook until just starting to soften, about 3 minutes.
Add the milk and polenta and stir until the milk starts to bubble and is well combined with the polenta. Cover and remove from heat, allowing to rest for about 20 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs and the honey until well combined.
Add the egg mixture to the polenta pan and stir. Add the dry ingredients and stir until incorperated. Add the beer and the corn kernels, stirring until just combined.
Add to the prepared baking dish and pour the 2 tbs of melted butter over the top.
Bake at 350 until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45-55 minutes.

IPA Sweet Potato Mash

20.12.2011 1 Comment

IPA’s make difficult cooking subjects. The bitterness is high maintenance. But then a beer comes along that is just so worth the effort of figutring out how to work those flavors into my food.

Like Le Freak, by Green Flash Brewing out of San Diego.

It’s a non traditional American IPA meets Belgium style IPA. Not your run of the mill hoppy beer. I love this. LOVED it so much, I drank it mid-morning as I was cooking up this little dish for you all. And, it turns out, sweet potatoes are an amazing vessel for hops. Or maybe the other way around.

IPA Sweet Potato Mash

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups)

2 tbs butter, chopped into cubes

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup pecans

1/2 cup Green Flash by Le Freak

Preheat oven to 400.

Place your chopped yams in a large loaf pan, sprinkle the top with cubes of butter. Drizzle with the maple syrup, then the beer and then top with the brown sugar.

Bake, uncovered at 400 for about 40 minutes or until the yams are fork tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit. Drain off most of the liquid (leaving about 2 tbs in the bottom of the pan). Sprinkle with nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt then mash with a potato masher until creamy, add the pecans and stir.

Serve warm.