Red Stripe Chicken

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 3-pound chicken with a split lemon stuffed into its cavity
• 6 carrots, cut coarsely on the diagonal
• 4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 green bell peppers, coarsely chopped
• 3 potatoes, peeled and quartered, about 1 pound
• 1 1/2 liters Red Stripe or other beer
• 3 bay leaves

It may be hard to believe that such a sumptuous chicken dish is actually made with beer, but it's the Red Stripe that gives the otherwise straightforward ingredients in this recipe a touch of authentic Jamaican flavor and a tantalizing smell.

1. In a deep pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, green peppers, potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, and oregano. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the entire chicken, turning it to brown on all sides.

2. Pour the beer into the pot; it should almost cover the chicken. Mix well, and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to medium low.

3. Intermittently stir and add more beer, if needed to keep the chicken bathed. Add salt and cook until well done, about 45 minutes. Serve in a deep platter surrounded with the vegetables, with the broth poured over the chicken.

Yield: 4 servings

Thanks to Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet by Padma Lakshmi, copyright 2007 Weinstein Books

Beer Cheese Pretzel and Dip

• 1 (16 ounce) package hot bread roll mix with yeast
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/4 cups beer
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, diced and softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package processed cheese, cubed
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup beer, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, mix the hot bread roll mix with yeast and Cheddar cheese.
3. In a microwave or small saucepan, heat the beer to almost boiling. Stir beer and egg into the flour mixture and knead 5 minutes. Allow the dough to rest 5 minutes, then roll into desired shape. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
4. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
5. In a food processor, blend the cream cheese, processed cheese, garlic powder and room temperature beer. Refrigerate until serving with the baked dough.

Thanks to DOREENB

Bratwurst in Beer

• 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

Ghouls & Goulash

• 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

Chicken Cassoulet

• 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

Cilantro Fish Stew with Clams, Mussels, Corvina and Large Prawns

• 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

Cheddar and Beer Soup with Tempura Broccoli Florets

• 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