Caribbean Bock Chicken

• 5 to 6 chicken leg quarters
• 2 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups parboiled rice
• 1 bottle (12 ounces) bock beer
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 can (16 ounces) red or pink beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro

Coat chicken all over with jerk seasoning. In a large pan with lid, warm oil over medium heat.

Cook chicken in two batches, turning frequently until well-browned, about 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Remove chicken to plate. Pour out all but two tablespoons of pan drippings.

Add onion, chiles, ginger, garlic and salt to remaining drippings in pan. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes until onion is lightly browned. Stir in rice and cook for 1 more minute. Add beer, coconut milk, beans and half of cilantro. Return chicken to pot along with any accumulated juices.

Bring chicken mixture to boil, cover pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, rice is tender and chicken is cooked through. Stir in remaining cilantro.

Serves 4

Thanks to Lew Bryson

Irish Pumpkin Pie

• 1 9 inch unbaked pie shell
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups canned pumpkin
• 6 ounces Guinness Beer

Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl. Lightly beat in two eggs. Stir in canned pumpkin and Guinness beer until well combined. Pour mixture into pie shell; preheat oven to 425F and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F, and bake an additional 45-50 minutes, or until fork placed in center of the pie comes out clean. Cool, and serve.

Thanks to HungryMonster

Carribean Style Oxtails

The oxtail typically weighs 2 to 4 lbs. and is skinned and cut into short lengths for sale. You do not see them in the stores very often but if you can find some it is well worth it. Ask your local butcher if you are interested.

Oxtail is usually slow-cooked, often stewed or braised in a dutch oven or pressure cooker. The slow cooking will help the meat to tenderize and almost fall off the bone.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds oxtails
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup small diced onion
• 1/2 cup small diced carrot
• 1/2 cup small diced celery
• 1/4 cup small diced leeks
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced green onion, white part only
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer
• 1 1/2 cups veal stock or low-sodium canned beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Add the olive oil to the pot (or any pressure cooker, or a Dutch oven) and heat over medium heat until hot. Season the oxtails with the salt and pepper. Add half of the oxtails to the pot and cook until well browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Set the seared oxtails on a platter once browned and repeat with the remaining oxtails.

Once all the oxtails are browned, add the onions, carrots and celery to the pan. Saute the vegetables until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the leeks, garlic, green onions and ginger to the pan and saute for 1 minute, stirring often. Add the tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to combine. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the beer to the pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the beer to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the stock and allspice, stir, and return the oxtails to the pan. Return the pan to a boil and place the lid over the pan. Once a steady stream of steam is emitted from the pan, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook the oxtails until tender, about 1 hour in a pressure cooker or 2 hours in a Dutch oven.

Remove the lid, and stir the chopped parsley into the pan. Serve immediately.

Thanks to the Alamance County Center

Caribbean Chicken with Bock Beer

• 5 to 6 chicken leg quarters, skin removed
• 2 tablespoons dry Jamaican jerk seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon peeled and chopped fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups parboiled rice
• 1 bottle bock beer (12 ounces)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 can red or pink beans (16 ounces), rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro, divided

Coat chicken all over with jerk seasoning.

In large Dutch oven or other large pan with lid, warm oil over medium heat. Cook chicken in two batches, turning frequently, until well browned, about 8-10 minutes per batch. Remove chicken to plate. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons pan oil.

To drippings in pan, add onion, chiles, ginger, garlic and salt. Cook, stirring 3-4 minutes, until onion is lightly browned. Stir in rice and cook for additional minute. Add beer, coconut milk, beans and half of cilantro. Return chicken to pot along with any accumulated juices.

Bring chicken mixture to a boil, cover pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer 30-35 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed, rice is tender and chicken is cooked through. Stir in remaining cilantro.

Serves 6.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving: 620 calories; 20 g fat; 8 g saturated fat; 55 g carbohydrate

– from the National Beer Wholesalers Association and the Kane County Chronicle