Beer for Dinner

• Beer – 1 can of your favorite
• Water – 1 ½ cups
• Onion (yellow) – 2 medium chopped
• Bratwurst – 2 pounds
• Salt – ¼ teaspoon
• Pepper (black) – ¼ teaspoon
• Butter – 2 tablespoons
• Flour – 2 tablespoons
• Apple Cider Vinegar – 2 tablespoons
• Sugar – 1 tablespoon
• Parsley – just enough to garnish

1. Preheat the grill for medium high heat. (A gas grill with a side burner is recommended for this recipe. But if you need to use the stovetop in the house it will work just fine as well.)

2. Combine the beer, water, onion, bratwurst, salt and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat on the side burner.

3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes.

4. Remove the bratwurst from the beer mixture and place the bratwurst on the grill turning them frequently to brown them all over. (The brats are done when an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees.)

5. Remove the beer mixture from the heat and reserve for a reappearance later on for this dish.

6. Meanwhile, place a large sauté pan on the side burner over medium heat. Melt the butter and stir in the flour, cooking for about 6 minutes to make a light brown roux.

7. Then stir in the vinegar, sugar and the remaining beer mixture.

8. Season with salt and pepper and bring the mixture to a boil.

9. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, which is about 10 to 15 minutes.

10. Slice the brats into 1-inch pieces and add to the sauce. Cook for 5 more minutes.

11. Garnish with parsley and you are done.

Thanks to Eat This! Cooking

Labels: bratwurst, butter, flour, onion, parsley, sugar, vinegar

Posted by Steve at 9:37 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

• 1 bag Morningstar Farms Steak Strips, cubed
• 2T vegetable oil
  
• 1 medium onion, diced
  
• 2t caraway seeds
  
• 2T sweet Hungarian paprika (not hot!)
  
• 1/4t pepper
• 1 six oz. can tomato paste
  
• 1 bottle of beer
  
• 1/4t salt
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1/4t marjoram
  
• 2 carrots, chopped (optional)
  
• 2 red potatoes, diced (optional)
  
• 1 1/2 cups V8 or vegetable juice (use less if omitting carrots & potatoes)
  
• 2T flour

In a stew sized pot, heat oil and cook onions and caraway seeds until onions are soft. Add cubed faux steak and brown slightly. Stir in all of the remaining ingredients except flour. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, until potatoes and carrots are soft. If necessary, add flour to thicken.

Thanks to Monica from the Rural Vegan

Labels: caraway seeds, carrots, flour, garlic, marjoram, oil, onion, paprika, potatoes, steak, tomato paste

Posted by Steve at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

• 1/4 pound bacon (about 4 strips)
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
• 1 cup beer (preferably a light lager)
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (29 ounces or two 15-ounce cans) cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 cups diced leftover chicken
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large oven-proof skillet, brown the bacon over medium heat until it crisps and renders much of its fat, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

Add the sausage to the pan and cook, stirring , until well browned, about 8 minutes.

Add garlic and cook, stirring until it sizzles steadily but doesn't quite brown, about 1 minute.

Add beer and cook, stirring, until it almost completely reduces, about 2 minutes.

Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, stir in the beans, rosemary and chicken and simmer for 5 minutes to heat through.

Stir in Parmesan, season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle evenly with the bread crumbs. Transfer to oven and bake until the crumbs brown and crisp, about 25 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes, then serve with a sprinkling of bacon.

Thanks to Freep

Posted by Steve at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

• 4 large prawns
• 2 small fillets of corvina or any firm-fleshed white fish
• 1 cups of clams and mussels @ 6 of each
• 2 ox. Spanish chorizo, chopped in small cubes
• 8 cherry tomatoes halved
• 6 limes juiced
• 1 ear of white corn, off the husk
• 1/2 bottle of XX Amber
• 1/2-1/4 Fresno pepper, sliced
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• 1/2 white onion shaved or julienned
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

In a large pan saute over high heat the clams, prawns, chorizo and corvina in olive oil until the fish and prawns are browned on one side. Flip the seafood then immediately deglaze the pan with the beer. Add the onion and corn. The chicken stock and lime juice are added to taste. Reduce the broth then add the whole picked cilantro, cherry tomatoes and Fresno pepper. Finish with salt and pepper. Enjoy! You should be left with a nice citrus broth containing beer and cilantro overtones. Most of these ingredients can be followed to recipe, but I recommend that they be added to taste.

Serves 2

Thanks to Beckler

Labels: chorizo, cilantro, clams, corn, evoo, fish, hotpeppers, lime, mussels, onion, prawns, stock, tomatoes

Posted by Steve at 10:01 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

• 4 ounces butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup minced onions
• 1/4 cup minced celery
• Salt
• Cayenne
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle light beer
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 pound sharp Cheddar, grated
• Dash hot red pepper sauce
• Tempura Broccoli Florets, recipe follows
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Tempura Broccoli Florets:

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup seltzer water
• 8 fresh broccoli florets, blanched
• Salt and cayenne

1. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 4 minutes to make a blond roux. Add the onions and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 2 minutes or until the vegetables are wilted.
2. Stir in the beer and stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the milk and cheese. Continue to cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and hot sauce.
3. Reduce the heat and keep warm. To serve, ladle the soup into each bowl. Garnish with the Tempura Florets and parsley.

Tempura Broccoli Florets:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, egg, and seltzer water. Mix well to make a smooth batter. Season with salt and cayenne. Dip each floret into the batter, shaking off any excess. Carefully add the battered broccoli to the oil and fry until crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with salt.

Serves 8

Thanks to Tarah

Labels: broccoli, butter, cayenne, celery, cheddar, cheese, cornstarch, eggs, flour, hotsauce, milk, onions, parsley, soup, stock

Posted by Steve at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 yellow onions, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 poblano or Anaheim peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 6 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 6 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 10 garlic, chopped
• 6 large sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 2 12-ounce bottles brown ale, such as Newcastle
• 4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 pound okra, stemmed, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 12 cups canned low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 28-ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes with their liquid, crushed
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, (about 6 ears)
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add the chicken, and toss well to evenly coat. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil over medium-high heat in a wide 20-quart heavy-bottomed pot. Add half of the chicken, and brown, turning once, until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a large bowl. Add remaining 1/4 cup oil to the pot and brown remaining chicken; transfer to the bowl and set aside.

Add the onions, peppers, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot, and season well with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add ale and bring to a simmer, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add potatoes, okra, chicken stock, tomatoes and their liquid, corn, and red pepper flakes, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add reserved chicken, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until vegetables and chicken are tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk remaining 1/2 cup flour together with the milk until smooth. Stir mixture into the stew and return to a simmer. Cook until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Reseason with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Serve with a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

Serves 24.

Thanks to Vox

Labels: bayleaves, carrots, celery, chicken, corn, evoo, garlic, hotpeppers, hotsauce, lemon, milk, okra, onions, peppers, potatoes, stew, stock, thyme, tomatoes

Posted by Steve at 9:40 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

• 2 pounds of lean ground beef
• 1 lime
• 16 oz/500 g (ml?) Diced tomatoes (in a can cause I'm lazy)
• 16 oz/500 g (ml?) Tomato Sauce
• Two Green Bell Peppers
• A handful of button mushrooms
• A handful of shitake mushrooms
• A corona (or heffeweisen, but then substitute a lemon for the lime in order to balance the change in acidity)
• A Roma-Tomato's worth of not-red Onions
• Two or three cloves of garlic (up to you really)
• Large skillet
• Extra-virgin olive-oil.

Now. With the ingredients...

Into the skillet, pour enough olive oil to cover about a third to a half of the bottom.

Heat skillet at medium heat.

Chop onion (smaller than pencil eraser sized chunks)

Dice garlic (Finer the better)

Slice lime wedges, (widest about half inch at the skin)

Roll oil around skillet to coat bottom.

Add onions

Open beer

Stir onions

Add lime wedge to beer.

Stir onions

Enjoy beer.

Repeat previous two steps until onions are brown/burnt/tiny

Add garlic.

Agitate to let the garlic brown.

When the garlic gets a hint past golden brown, apply meat.

Brown the meat. Stir occasionally while prepping vegetables. Use the spatula to chop up the meat to ensure all the meat is consistently brown

Open cans of tomato bits
Chop mushrooms and bellpeppers into bits. Try to keep all the pieces around the half-inch size.

When the meat gets to a nice even brown, push it all to one side and drain the fat with a spoon. (There'll be a tiny bit left, but that's okay)

Return pan to stove and add tomato goop. Stir.

When the mixture starts bubbling again, add vegetables.

Let the mass simmer for about 10 minutes.

Season to taste, starting as soon as the meat is browned. I tend to use about 3 spoons worth of montreal steak spice mix, added gradually, and then I add red pepper flakes and black pepper as I see fit. The tomato sauce tends to carry enough salt by itself. This last batch, I also added parsley.

The whole process, end to end, takes about 30 minutes or so. The result is a very heavy meatsauce. I used the spatula to slice out chunks that just spread over the spaghetti noodles under it's own weight, like a blob of mud.

Thanks to Stir Fry Kitty

Labels: beef, evoo, garlic, lime, mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes

Posted by Steve at 9:54 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post