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Monatsarchive: June 2013

Beer and Peach Potpie

 

Peach and Beer Potpie2

This bowl embodies a bit of culinary contradiction. It’s a bit of soup, and it’s a bit of a dessert, two genres of  menu items that don’t seem to be easily meshed. But I have a love for soupy pies, given to me by a young kid I met in the back of a squad car.

I used to work with propation kids, I’ve told you that before, all from different parts of Los Angeles, some with gang ties, some without families, all wanting help in one form or another. Peter (*Name changed) was a walking contradiction to what most people assume was inside this big kid with a criminal record.

Peach and Beer Potpie

He was a sweet, honest, hard working kid that had never so much as been tardy from any class he’d taken. He had, however, stolen some food when his mom was too drunk to buy groceries and his little sister needed to eat, this earned him a all expense paid trip to Juvenile hall and then a spot in a Group Home. His grades were good enough, he always stayed out of trouble, and I was able to find him part time work at a Jewish deli & bakery in the Valley. When his birthday rolled around I asked what he wanted, the company I worked for had a small budget for special occasions that I was able to access for a present for him. "Pie making…stuff." He’d been working in a kitchen for weeks, fell in love with his ability to produce really great food, but outside work he’d never made food that didn’t require a microwave. I bought him a pie pan, a rolling pin, pie weights and pie cookbook. His reaction to the gift was much more shy and reserved that I’d expected. When I asked him why he was quiet, he said, "This is the first birthday present I ever got. Thank you."

I had to immediately whisk him to the kitchen to put said gift to use or I would have cried all over him. Instead we made a pie. The crust was gorgeous, but with limited ingredients in the state funded Group Home, the pie turned out a bit more watery than I had intended. I was deflated. He didn’t notice. He took one bite and a huge smile lit up his big face. It tasted great, and he had no preconceived ideas about what homemade pie looked like because he’d never seen one. Now, soupy pie makes me happy.

Peach and Beer Potpie4

I found out a few years ago that Peter is doing really well, he’d put himself through culinary school, works as a chef and teaches classes at the community college.

Long live pie.

Beer and Peach Potpie

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups 6-8 large peaches yellow peaches, sliced (peeled if desired)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 3 tbs cornstarch
  • pinch salt
  • 1/3 cup hoppy wheat beer
  • 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
  • Egg wash 1 egg, 1 table spoon water, beaten

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400.
  • Add the peaches to a large bowl. Sprinkle with brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Use your hands to stir the peaches until they are fully coated with the dry ingredients and all of the dry ingredients have been moistened.
  • Pour the beer over the peaches, gently stir to combine.
  • Place 4 oven safe bowls (1 cup size) on a baking sheet. Divide the filling evenly among the bowls.
  • Roll the puff pastry out on a lightly floured surface, cut into 4 squares. Cover each bowl with a square of puff pastry. Brush with egg wash.
  • Bake at 400 for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.

Peach and Beer Potpie5

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Grilled Watermelon Salad

Grilled Watermelon Salad5

Grilled watermelon salad is the perfect summer side dish. Slice up some watermelon rings, throw them on the grill (literally if you’re brave enough), wait for some gorgeous smokey grill marks to spear and you’re half way there.

Grilled Watermelon Salad

If you don’t have a grill, a grill pan will work fine. You can also skip the egregious use of fire all together and just cut the watermelon into bite sized chunks. The saltiness of the Cotija and the briny quick-pickled red onions set of that great sweetness of in-season watermelons.

Grilled Watermelon Salad2

It’s also a great salad to serve at room temperature, making it the perfect low maintenance side dish to serve on your summer party table. It also has a lovely sweetness that pairs well with a spicy food, I served it with these wings. It does not, however, keep very well. If you plan to make it ahead of time, keep all of the components separate and toss just prior to serving.

If you need a patriotic plan for the rest of the watermelon, check this out.

Grilled Watermelon Salad7
Grilled Watermelon Salad

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (or rice wine)
  • 1 tbs raw honey
  • ½ red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 2 slices (2 inch thick each) watermelon
  • ½ cup crumbed Cotija cheese (can substitute feta)
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar and honey. Add the red onions, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  2. Place the watermelon slices on a hot grill until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes per side.
  3. Remove the watermelon rind and chop the grilled watermelon into bite sized chunks, place in a large serving bowl.
  4. Pour the red onion and the vinegar over the watermelon. Sprinkle with Cotija cheese and cilantro.

Grilled Watermelon Salad6

Grilled Beer and Buttermilk Chicken with Sriracha Glaze

Beer & Buttermilk Grilled Chicken with Sriracha Glaze

The above picture is  pretty strong illustration of what I did nearly the entire weekend. Along with spicing up my beer wings, I also made a Sriracha butter for grilled corn. In other news,I ran out of Sriracha.

Maybe it’s the new grill that found it’s way into my backyard, or maybe it was eyeing this chicken recipe, or this one, but I really wasn’t able to think about anything but beering up some chicken and giving it a good grilled char.

Beer & Buttermilk Grilled Chicken with Sriracha Glaze3

I’m also trying to figure out how to grill a pie, but more on that later.

 

Grilled Beer and Buttermilk Chicken with Sriracha Glaze

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken:

  • 2 cups Buttermilk
  • 12 ounces IPA beer
  • 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
  • 1 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoons cayenne
  • ½ teaspoons cumin
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 white onion sliced
  • 2 lbs chicken drumsticks and wings
  • Cilantro minced (optional)

For The Glaze:

  • ¼ cup Sriracha
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ½ cup IPA beer
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1/3 cup mirin

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl whisk together the buttermilk, 12 ounces beer, salt, smoked paprika, cayenne, cumin, and brown sugar. Add the onions and chicken to the marinade. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and up to 12.
  • Just prior to grilling, make the glaze. In a saucepan over medium high heat, whisk together all the glaze ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 8 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade, discard marinade.
  • Place the chicken on a preheated grill, brush with glaze, cook for about 2 minutes, flip and brush with glaze. Continue to flip and brush with glaze every 2-4 minutes until chicken is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken). Transfer chicken to a serving platter and sprinkle with cilantro.

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Beer & Buttermilk Grilled Chicken with Sriracha Glaze4

Grilled Artichokes with Crab Filling

Grilled Artichokes with Crab Filling2

My grill broke last summer. We were in the middle of a move, and I still held onto the hope that we could fix it, so it wasn’t replaced. In Southern California, grillin' isn’t just a summer activity, it’s a year long love affair, making an entire 13 months sans grill a really long time to deprive myself of the chard glory of fire cooked food.

We just replaced it this past weekend and I can’t get enough of it. I had been trying to satisfy my urge to grill via my grill pan. Although it is a pretty fantastic pan, after making this corn on my stove top in a grill pan I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to have the real thing. I think I’ve officially reached Grill Junky status, lets hope I can keep it under control.

Hope you don’t mind too much, but I’ll be posting my grilling adventures over the next few weeks. And probably well into fall.

Grilled Artichokes with Crab Filling

My favorite pinterest board right now is my Grillin' like a Villain. Feel free to post links to grilled food I should be aware of!

Grilled Artichokes with Crab Filling

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 28 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Artichokes:

  • 2 fresh artichoke
  • 4 tbs melted butter
  • 2 tbs lemon juice
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • Vegetable oil for the grill

For the Filling:

  • 4 rings fresh pineapples (cut off rind and remove core)
  • 12 ounces fresh lump crab meat
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp mustard powder
  • ¼ tsp hot pepper sauce
  • 8 large Brussels sprouts
  • 2 ounce crumbled goat cheese

Instructions

  1. Prepare a pot of lightly salted boiling water. Preheat the grill
  2. Slice the artichokes down the center, lengthwise. Using a melon baller and a paring knife remove the hair from the choke as well as the inner purple leaves, leaving a cavity in the center of the each artichoke half.
  3. Boil in the pot of lightly salted boiling water until the outer leaves tear away easily, about 20 minutes.
  4. Grill the pineapple rings until strong grill marks appear on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from grill, allow to cool slightly, chop.
  5. In a small bowl stir together the crab meat, pineapple, sour cream, hot pepper sauce, ½ tsp each of salt, pepper, chili powder, and mustard powder.
  6. Using a cheese crater, grate the Brussels sprouts, this should equal about 2/3 cup. Stir the grated Brussels sprouts into the crab mixture.
  7. Once the artichokes are done cooking, remove from water and allow to drain.
  8. Mix the melted butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Brush artichokes on all sides with melted butter mixture.
  9. Brush the grill with vegetable oil. Grill artichokes, cut side down, until nice grill marks appear, about 5-8 minutes. Baste artichokes with melted butter while grilling.
  10. Remove from grill, fill the cavity of each artichoke with crab mixture and top with crumbled goat cheese. Return to the grill, crab side up, and cook just until the filling is warm and the cheese has started to melt, about 3 minutes.
  11. Serve immediately.

Notes

Starting at the outside and working inward, use the artichoke leaves to scoop out and eat the filling.

Grilled Artichokes with Crab Filling3

Chicken and Beer Summer Stew

Chicken and Beer Summer Stew3

Recently I read a response that a famous food personality had to the aggressive criticism of what is arguable to the worst food show on TV. She said that people who expect American households to cook with real, whole, unprocessed ingredients just don’t understand how real US households function, that it isn’t realistic to expect people to cook food that isn’t mostly can-and-box, defrost-and-feed type food.

I can’t underscore enough how much I not only disagree with this mentality, but how that line of thinking devalues food and the abilities of working America. I grew up in a family of ten, a family that was pay check to pay check on our best months, I’m not naive to what American households face when it comes to limited time and money.

Chicken and Beer Summer Stew2

I also have more faith in America, in food, and the resources we all have access to that can empower people to cook for their families in ways that don’t necessitate can openers and microwaves. The mentality that the best we can do is a jazzed up Hungry Man and a can of apple pie filling in the middle of a pre-made cake is demeaning. We can do better, regardless of budget. Corn is inexpensive, it’s easy to grow herbs in even the windowsill of an apartment, and inexpensive meat like chicken thighs have more flavor than their light meat counterparts. We can buy vegetables in season, when they are the least expensive, and freeze batches for months. We have options and abilities that extent far past what may be expected of us. Some of the best food I’ve ever had was handmade food in the poorest parts of the world, made with simple, inexpensive ingredients. America isn’t old enough to have  a rich culinary history, but it isn’t too late to start building one that doesn’t begin with yelling a food order out of a car window into a metal speaker.

We can do this, I have faith in us.

Chicken and Beer Summer Stew

 

Chicken and Beer Summer Stew

Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 4 chicken thighs cut into cubes
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 red pepper julienned
  • 2 carrots peeled and sliced into coins
  • 1 shallot minced about 1/4 cup
  • 1 tbs flour
  • 1 cup white ale
  • 1 ear of corn
  • ½ cup shelled English peas
  • 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 5 leaves of basil sliced into ribbons
  • 1 loaf crusty Italian bread for serving

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in an enamel cast iron pot or Dutch oven.
  • Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken cubes.
  • Once the oil is hot but not smoking add the chicken, cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken from pot.
  • Add red peppers, carrots and shallots (plus additional oil if the pan is dry), cook until vegetables have started to soften, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
  • Sprinkle with flour, add the beer, scrapping to deglaze the pot, making sure the flour is well combined without lumps.
  • Add the chicken back into the pot along with the corn and peas.
  • Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer, cover with the lid at a vent and allow to simmer for ten minutes.
  • Stir in the lemon juice, remove from heat.
  • Stir in the cream, turmeric, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with basil.
  • Serve with bread.

Chicken and Beer Summer Stew5

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Matcha Strawberry Shortcakes with Lime Whipped Cream #CAStrawberryShortcakes

Matcha Strawberry Shortcakes with Lime Whipped Cream #CAStrawberryShortcakes

My first official assignment as a Brand Ambassador for California Strawberry Commission was to re-invent the strawberry shortcake.  After a brief stop on the idea of another chocolate strawberry shortcake, and possibly a lemon lavender version, I settled on a matcha version, something I hope is new to you all (I like to feel inventive!), and matcha goes so well with strawberries.

I’ve had Matcha powder (Japanese green tea powder) in the back of my mind for a while,  on my list of foods to bake with. It gives a great contrast of color and flavor to the gorgeous strawberries, if you’re a matcha lover, I think you’ll agree.

I also have a pin contest to tell you all about. It’s a great excuse to spend a little extra time on pinterest while checking out some fantastic strawberry recipes, getting inspired for those summer cook-outs and trying to win some extra cash!

Matcha Strawberry Shortcakes with Lime Whipped Cream #CAStrawberryShortcakes

Matcha Strawberry Shortcakes with Lime Whipped Cream

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Shortcakes:

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1-2 tbs matcha powder*
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • pinch salt
  • 6 tbs chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • ½ cup whole milk

For the Strawberries:

  • 4 cups strawberries, cleaned and chopped
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp lime juice

For the Lime Whipped Cream:

  • 1 ½ cups chilled heavy cream (or whipping cream)
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 1 tsp lime juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Add flour, sugar, matcha, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a food processor, pulse to combine.
  3. Add the butter cubes, process until the butter is incorporated, about 1 minute.
  4. Add the milk, process until just combined.
  5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop large spoonful’s (about the size of a lime) onto the baking sheet, evenly spaced.
  6. Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes or until the tops have just started to brown, remove from oven and allow to cool.
  7. In a large bowl, stir together the strawberries, lime juice and granulated sugar, set aside.
  8. Once the shortcakes have cooled, make the whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the cream, powdered sugar and lime zest until soft peaks form. While the mixer is runner, add the lime juice, beat until incorporated.
  9. Split the shortcakes and fill with strawberries and whipped cream.

Notes

*Note: 2 tablespoons of matcha powder will give you a strong green tea flavor and a deeper green color. If you want a more mild, mellow flavor, add only 1 tablespoon.

 Matcha Strawberry Shortcakes with Lime Whipped Cream #CAStrawberryShortcakes

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


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

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 Potato Salad with IPA Mustard Vinaigrette bottle

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

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)

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

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Grilled Corn with Sriracha Scallion Butter

Grilled Corn with Sriracha Scallion Butter I’m can’t decide what I’m more excited about, the best grilled vegetable recipes I’ve made in years, or this awesome giveaway.

Lets talk about this corn for a second. Of course the original purpose of the corn itself was merely as a vehicle for the Sriracha butter, which I adapted from The Sriracha Cookbook (you should buy it, and the Veggie Lovers version), but the sweetness of the grilled corn with the spicy butter made me forget that I had acctually made other things for dinner. This is a meal all by itself. I would also recommend serving it American State Fair style in bed of aluminum foil so that you don’t miss all that fabulous butter that will melt away. And don’t be shy about adding it to your other grilled foods, shrimp and zucchini would love to take a dip in this stuff.

Grilled Corn with Sriracha Scallion Butter

Now, we can chat about this little giveaway. I’ve teamed up with some other awesome bloggers to give one lucky reader a shiny new iPad:

Enter to win an iPad!

 

Give them a visit, enter to win and GOOD LUCK! And if you don’t win, you can always console yourself with some tasty, spicy, grilled corn.

Grilled Corn with Sriracha Scallion Butter

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup scallions, chopped
  • 2 tsp sriracha
  • 6 ears corn
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Place butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a small food processor) along with garlic, scallions and sriracha. Process until all ingredients are well combined.
  2. Scrape onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Roll into a log shape, refridgerate until chilled and firm, about 1 hour. Can be made up to 3 days in advance.
  3. Remove the husks and the silk from the corn, leave stalk on, if still attached. Rub corn with olive oil, salt and pepper all sides.
  4. Cook on a preheated grill for 15-20 minutes, rotating every 3-5 minutes.
  5. Place grilled corn on a sheet of aluminum foil, top with a few slices of sriracha butter, fold foil around corn.

Grilled Corn with Sriracha Scallion Butter3

Chocolate Stout Cherry Pie

Chocolate Stout Cherry Pie3

 

This is a baking PSA, a result of an ongoing panic attack I’ve been having since I turned my book into the publisher. I’ve been convinced that most people who attempt to make my Chocolate Stout Cake with Raspberry Chocolate Ganche won’t know there is a difference between weight ounces and fluid ounces, confuse the two and end up with a failure. These things keep me up at night. Because if you make a recipe of mine and it fails, I feel awful, even if the recipe isn’t to blame. Even if you are totaly to blame for the failure, I still feel terrible.

Weight ounces and fluid ounces are not the same thing. In fact, for the most part, they have nothing to do with one another.

Weight ounces measure weight, fluid ounces measure volume. One does not equal the other.

Take a bag of chocolate chips, for example. It will probably list on the package: 12 weight ounces (often abbreviated as just "wt oz"). Pour those chocolate chips into a measuring cups and you’re bound to see it reach about 2 cups, or 16 fluid ounces.

12 weight ounces of chocolate equals about 16 fluid ounces.

Cheese is the same. 8 weight ounces of shredded cheese is about 16 fluid ounces.

Flour is even worse. Most bakers weigh their flour rather than measure it in cups (although most recipes will say cups) but  if you see a baker call for ounces of flour, she probably means weight, not volume. Have I lost you yet?

Generally, 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) of flour is only 4 weight ounces.

Most of the time, the difference is easy to distinguish, and lucky for us, beer is equal when it comes to fluid ounces and weight ounce. 8 fluid ounces of beer equals 8 weight ounces (one less thing to worry about!)

The biggest worry in the cooking and baking world are generally cheese and chocolate. Mostly because they are sold in weight ounces, but recipes vary when it comes to what they call for. Recipes should call for those items in weight ounces, but if you aren’t familiar, and just load up your measuring cup with shredded cheese or chocolate chips and think you’re looking for fluid ounces, you’ll most likely have a recipe disaster on your hands.

The take away:

When you see a recipe calling for ounces: figure out what type of ounces or your recipe may not work.

Thank you for letting me get that off my chest, I feel better. Although I still want to kick the crap out of the a-hole who decided to use the same word for both.

Chocolate Stout Cherry Pie2

And take moment to check out those glorious cherries in the middle of that pie.

Chocolate Stout Cherry Pie

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pie crust
  • 2 3.5 ounce bars 60% chocolate (total 7 weight ounces)
  • 3 tbs unsalted butter cut into cubes.
  • 2 tbs light corn syrup
  • 1/3 cup stout
  • 3 tbs heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 cups pitted dark sweet cherries such as Bing, about 16 wt ounces pitted

For the Whipped Cream

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbs stout optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Rough out pie dough, transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, trim off excess. Prick several holes in the bottom.
  • Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until a light golden brown. Allow to cool.
  • Break the chocolate into chunks and add to the top of a double boiler over gently simmering water along with the butter, corn syrup and stout. Stir frequently until the chocolate has melted. Add the cream and stir until completely incorporated. Add the cherries, stir until all of the cherries are well coated. Pour into the crust. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours and up to 24.
  • Once the pie has cooled make the whipped cream. Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract (and stout, if using) to a stand mixer. Beat on high until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.

Notes

Note about chocolate: you can use up to 70%, but the higher the percentage (which indicates the amount of cocoa in the bar) the more bitter the chocolate, therefore the more bitter the pie. If you use a really low cocoa content, like a 30%, the pie may have a harder time setting up because of the lower cocoa content, and higher milk content. I would stay between 55% and 70%.

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Chocolate Stout Cherry Pie

Ginger Lime Daiquiri

 

Ginger Lime Daiquiri

Did you know rum used to be an accepted form of currency in the United States? This was, of course, a really long time ago. Before whiskey and beer took firm hold of the American liquor scene, the US was all about the rum. So what happened? I blame frat boys and The Captain for our current view of rum, but these days rum is starting to find it’s way back into the hearts of craft liquor lovers. I’m not much of a hard liquor drinker, I tend to favor good beer and cheap wine, but after researching the history of rum for an article I wrote, I have a newfound respect. I also found the taste of Ten Cane Rum to be stellar, by far my favorite of all the rums I sampled.

Ginger Lime Daiquiri2

I also realized that although most people think of that syrupy pink blended guy as a daiquiri, the original version is all about well made rum and some lime juice.

And I threw in some ginger simple syrup for good measure.

 

Ginger Lime Daiquiri

Yield: 1 cocktail with plenty of simple syrup for several more drinks

Ingredients

Ginger Simple Syrup:

  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup ginger, peeled and sliced

Ginger Lime Daiquiri (makes 1)

  • 2 ounce golden rum
  • 1 ounces lime juice
  • 1 ounce ginger simple syrup
  • Dash fresh ginger, grated with a microplane or fine zester

Instructions

  1. Make the ginger simple syrup: Add water, sugar and ginger to a pan over medium-high heat. Stir continually until sugar has dissolved, remove from heat. Allow the ginger to steep until syrup has cooled to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Strain out the ginger and store simple syrup in a plastic squeeze bottle or jar in the fridge until ready to use (can be made up to a week ahead of time).
  2. Make the Daiquiri: Add rum, lime juice and ginger simple syrup to a shaker full of ice. Shake gently for 15-30 seconds, strain into a cocktail glass. Grate fresh ginger into the glass.
    Notes

Ginger simple syrup also makes a fantastic addition to watermelon margaritas

 

Ginger Lime Daiquiri3

Fried Coconut Almond Shrimp with Apricot Dipping Sauce

When I edit photos, I just pick the ones that I think are the stand outs (often only one or two) edit those, export and review what I’ve done.

It wasn’t until I pulled this set up in review that I saw that it seemed to tell the story of shrimp desperation. Maybe it’s just me, spending too much time behind this computer with limited human interaction, but this is what I see:

First, the recently transformed shrimp, fresh out of a scorching oil bath, sees potential solace in an a pool of amber liquid.

Coconut Almond Shrimp with Apricot Dipping5

He makes his move, hesitant at first, he throws himself towards the cool pool of dipping sauce that will surely quench the scorching heat that radiates in his coconut crusted core. He’s close, but there’s still a ways to go before he can dip his heated middle in the apricot flavored oasis. He pushes on, hoping a few more flips will land him in his sticky sanctuary.

Coconut Almond Shrimp with Apricot Dipping4

He pulls all the strength he can muster after his recent collision with the deep fryer and launches forward, landing cleanly in the middle of the delicious basin. It’s not enough, he wants more. He takes a moment to gather his strength.
Coconut Almond Shrimp with Apricot Dipping2

One more explosive shove and he’s there, right in the middle of the refreshing wellspring. He lets out a deep sigh. 
Coconut Almond Shrimp with Apricot Dipping

It’s ok to judge me for that. I’ve mostly spared you all from the incessant rambling of my haywired brain, but today has been a long day, you’ll have to forgive me. And my shrimp crazed ramblings.
But I do hope you come back tomorrow, I’ll have a lovely cocktail for you that will go well with this delicious shrimp.

Fried Coconut Almond Shrimp with Apricot Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

For the Shrimp:

  • Oil for frying
  • 12 shrimp, raw, deveined, shell removed (tail still on OK)
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup sweetened shaved coconut
  • ¼ cup almond slices
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 tbs water

For the Sauce:

  • ¾ cup apricots, chopped (fresh but soft work best)
  • ¼ cup thai sweet chili sauce
  • ¼ tsp sriracha
  • 1 tbs soy sauce

Instructions

  1. Add 3 inches of canola oil to a pan, clip a deep fry thermometer onto the side. Bring the oil to 375 to 400 degrees, adjust heat to maintain that temperature range.
  2. Add the coconut and almond slices, pulse until well combined, add to a small bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk the salt and flour.
  4. In a third bowl whisk together the egg whites and water.
  5. One at a time, dredge the shrimp in flour, then coat in egg whites, and finally roll in coconut mixture.
  6. Drop into the hot oil, fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on a stack of paper towels.
  7. Add all of the sauce ingredients to a small food processor or blender, blend until smooth.
  8. Serve shrimp with dipping sauce.
Coconut Almond Shrimp with Apricot Dipping3

Beer Battered Avocado Tacos with Fresh Corn Salsa

 

 

Beer Battered Avocado Tacos2Nothing in life should be qualified by what is left out. You shouldn’t stand in the warm, golden, tropical, sun, toes digging into the sand, asking where the snow is.

You shouldn’t visit Machu Picchu and think, "It’s pretty good for a place that doesn’t have a mall."

Lazy Sunday afternoons spent reading Down and Out in Paris and London while gently swaying in a hammock aren’t known as That Day I Didn’t Go To A Rock Show.

Unfortunately for us all, we tend to filter everything though a check list of our own normality, fact checked by what we’re used to. Food shouldn’t be though of by what isn’t in it, but by what is. Vegan food shouldn’t be thought of meatless food, but food that celebrates produce.

Beer Battered Avocado Tacos3

Even though I am a meat-loving bacon-devotee, I love the challenge that produce- celebrating-food presents. Because I never want to serve food that’s described as "good for [vegan, parve, gluten free, healthy, etc.]" I want it to be damn awesome regardless of what’s put in or left out.

These tacos were every bit the shockingly fantastic bites that I wanted them to be. It just so happens that I didn’t need any meat or dairy to accomplish this feat.

I can’t take all the credit, you could beer batter anything and wrap it in a beer corn tortilla and you pretty much have a winner on your hands.

Beer Battered Avocado Tacos

 

For the love of God, make your own tortillas. Once you realize that corn tortillas take about 5 minutes and three ingredients to make, not to mention taste a thousand times better than store-bought (plus cost only pennies), you’ll never go back.

Beer Battered Avocado Tacos with Fresh Corn Salsa

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 12 tacos

Ingredients
  

For the Tortillas:

  • 2 cups masa harina
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 1/3 cup warm IPA

For the Avocados:

  • Canola oil for frying
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 12 ounces IPA
  • 3 avocados ripe but still firm

For the Corn Salsa:

  • 1 ear of fresh sweet corn kernels cut off
  • 1 jalapeno stem and seeds removed, chopped
  • ¼ cup red onions diced
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tbs chopped scallions
  • juice from one lime
  • ¼ cup chopped tomatoes
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Make the tortillas:In a large bowl, add the Masa and the salt, stir to combine. Add the beer and stir to combine. If the dough is too dry to hold together, add additional beer or water. If it is too wet, add more Masa. It should be the consistency of Play-Doh.
  • Form into balls a bit larger than golf balls. Prepare a tortillas press by wrapping in plastic wrap or covering with parchment paper (you can place tortilla ball between two sheets of parchment and use a rolling pin). Place one ball in the center. Press, rotate, press again.
  • Heat a griddle (or cast iron skillet) to a medium high heat (about 350 for electric griddles). Cook until slightly brown on the bottom (about 30 seconds to a minute) flip and cook on the other side. Don’t overcook.
  • Make the Avocados:Add about 4 inches of oil to a saucepan, clip a deep-fry thermometer onto the side (make sure the needle is not touching the bottom of the pot. Bring to 375-400 degrees (adjust heat to maintain that temperature).
  • In a large bowl stir together the flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Add the beer and stir until combined (should have the consistency of pancake batter).
  • Cut the avocados into thick slices (about 4-5 per half) making sure the skin and seed is removed.
  • Dip the avocado slices into the batter and fry for about 1 minutes, flip and fry until golden brown, about an additional 2 minutes. Remove from fryer and allow to drain on a stack of paper towels. (only fry 2-3 slices at a time or the oil temp will drop and batter will become overly oily).
  • Make the salsa: Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stir to combine.
  • Assemble tacos and serve.

 

 

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Beer Marinated Flank Steak with Avocado Cilantro Cream Sauce

Beer Marinated Flank Steak
Beer Carne Asada 2

I’ve always enjoyed lower alcohol beers. Due in no small part to the fact that I can drink more and still be functional, for me, the goal is never to get hammered.

After what seems like an eternity of ABV one-upmanship, brewers are also starting to offer fantastically well-crafted beers on the lower end of the alcohol scale.

Maybe for people who don’t want to have to call a cab after just one pint, maybe as a way to focus on more delicate flavors that might be overwhelmed by the alcohol or maybe because some of us want to try several beers while avoiding becoming a cautionary tale.

As summer creeps up on us, and worries of beer-snobbery-judgment over the selection in our Beer Party Tub offerings start to invade our weekends, here are some craft beers that can keep you up to your witty ways while still enjoying a few pints:

Half Acre Beer Co.: Gossamer Golden Ale  4.4% ABV

 Stone Brewing Co.: Levitation 4.4% ABV

Founders Brewing: All Day IPA 4.7% ABV

Drakes Brewing Co.: Alpha Session 3.8% ABV

Dogfish Head: Festina Peche  4.5% ABV

 Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits: Wahoo Wheat  4.5% ABV

Eagle Rock Brewing: Solidarity 3.8% ABV

Beer Carne Asada_

Beer Marinated Flank Steak with Avocado Cilantro Cream Sauce

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs flank steak
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbs lemon juice
  • 1 cup pale ale
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 2 tbs brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cummin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tbs low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

For the Avocado Cilantro Sauce

  • 1 avocado peel and seed removed
  • ¼ cup cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbs oil
  • 2 tbs pale ale
  • ¼ tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Salt and pepper the steak on all sides, place in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, beer, cummin, chili powder, brown sugar, soy and Worcestershire sauce, pour over the steak, seal the bag well.
  • Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Remove from marinade and pat dry.
  • Grill on a preheated grill until medium rare, about 6-8 minutes per side. Remove from grill, allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • To make the sauce add the remaining ingredients to a blender or food processor, process on high until smooth. Serve steak topped with avocado sauce.

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Chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies

Chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies6

This post is evidence that I am a totally sucker. Twice.

First, my three-year-old lifts a huge tub of blueberries into the shopping cart and says, "Can I have the blueberries? I love them." I agree. Sucker.

The next day, she climbs in my lap and says, "Can we please make cookies?" I agree again. Sucker.

Lemon Blueberry Cookies P

I would show you the picture of her helping me scoop the dough into the cookie sheets, but she did so naked. She’s in a naked phase, as soon as we walk in the door she strips off all her clothes, yells, "Naked lady on the loose!" and runs through the house. I’ve decided not to fight this battle, we’ve just had to come to an agreement about when it is, and is not, appropriate to be naked. Which makes me say things like, "Honey, we don’t get naked at the post office." I’m assuming she’ll grow out of it. Or someday find happiness at a nudist colony, preferably in a warm climate.

Chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies1

We actually made these twice. I’ve told you this before, but my version of The Perfect Cookie is chewy, not cakey. And despite my best intentions, the first batch came out cakey:

Chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies4

And although I was disappointed in the lack of chewyness, I still ate five (for real, don’t judge). The second round was exactly what I wanted, soft, chewy, slightly puffy, and not cakey. But I do understand there are those of you who do like the cakey version, also they would be fantastic to make blueberry whoopies with, so I’m posting both.

But the chewy ones were better.

Chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies5

Chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies (both cakey and chewy versions listed)

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

Cakey version:

  • 2 ½ cups All Purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • 3 tbs lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries

OR

Chewy Version:

  • 1 1/4 cups All Purpose flour
  • 1 cups bread flour (can use AP flour, but won’t be as chewy)
  • 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 additional egg yolk
  • 3 tbs lemon juice (about 1 large lemons)
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 ½ cup fresh blueberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl mix together the flour(s), baking soda, (baking powder if making the cakey version) and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat both kids of sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg(s), beat until very well combined, about 3 minutes. Mix in the sour cream (cakey version only). Add the lemon juice and zest mix until well combined.
  4. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients, stir until just combined. Gently stir in the blueberries.
  5. Using a cookie scoop, scoop golf ball sized mounds onto a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper (if making cakey version, chill for 20-30 minutes prior to baking or they will spread too much. Chewy version does not need to be chilled).
  6. Bake at 350 for 12-16 minutes or until the top just starts to turn a very light golden brown.
  7. immediately slide the parchment onto the counter, allow the cookies to cool to room temperature.

Chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies

New Orleans Barbecue Beer Shrimp

 New Orleans BBQ Beer Shrimp

 There is a magic to sharing a dish of food with a group of people, it’s unifying. We can all have our separate plates, and play nice, but placing a big pot of food in the middle of a table seems to breaks down walls. For this same reason, I love those big sharable 22 ounce beers that require that beer glassware I love so much.

New Orleans BBQ Beer Shrimp3

At the moment, my grill is broken so I need other options for, fun, get-your-hands-messy, food that can feed the Sunday Supper guests I keep begging to come over and eat my food at the end of the week. This was great, it only took about 15 minutes, really delicious and it has an unholy amount of butter.

If you can handle it, get the head-on prawns for some added flavor. And don’t forget that bread to mop up that fantastic sauce.

New Orleans BBQ Beer Shrimp2

New Orleans Barbecue Beer Shrimp

Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup 2 sticks butter, melted
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dry oregano
  • ½ teaspoon hot chili sauce such as sriracha
  • 1 cup pale ale
  • 1 pounds raw shrimp deveined, shell on

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add the remaining ingredients (besides the shrimp), bring to a simmer.
  • Add the shrimp, cook until shrimp have turned pink. Avoid over cooking or the shrimp will be tough.
  • Serve with crust bread to mop up all that beautiful sauce. And lots of napkins.

Adapted from the original New Orleans BBQ Shrimp recipe from Pascale’s Manale

 

 

Strawberry, Chicken and Goat Cheese Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Strawberry and Goat Cheese Lettuce Wraps. Only 255 calories and just 20 minutes.

Lettuce wraps are Asian, right? Those PF Change guys make one that people seem to like. I love Asian flavors, but giving you a new take on an Asian dish isn’t at the top of my current skill set. So I went a new route, and put in some of my favorite flavors that also happen to be (mostly) healthy.

Let’s talk about that PF Chang wrap. It’s listed as an appetizer that has 4 “servings,” but if you eat it as an entrée, it’ll feed one. As a entrée it has close to 600 calories, 2600 milligrams sodium (!!!), and 47 grams of carbs (I don’t even get bread!). Just as a comparison, an In-N-Out cheeseburger with ketchup has 400 calories, 1080 milligrams sodium and 41 grams carbs.

Chicken Strawberry and Goat Cheese Lettuce Wraps. Only 255 calories and just 20 minutes.

I’m not trying to dissuade you from eating them, they look delicious, and if you want to order it, you should do that. More or less, I’m trying to get you excited about these lettuce wrap because it’s just as delicious and the numbers are amazing. It actually qualifies as diet food, even with the goat cheese and chicken thighs. It has only 255 calories for a generous serving, 650 milligrams sodium, and only 6 grams of carbs! Plus 24 grams protein and some fabulous vitamin C from those strawberries.  And it only takes 20 minutes!

If you want to make them ahead for lunch (you should!) just store the chicken, strawberry salsa, cheese and lettuce all separate and assemble at lunch time. Because interactive lunch is more fun.

Chicken Strawberry and Goat Cheese Lettuce Wraps. Only 255 calories and just 20 minutes.

Strawberry, Chicken and Goat Cheese Lettuce Wraps

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbs corn starch
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 5 chicken boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 cup strawberries, chopped
  • ¼ cup red onions, small dice
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 jalapenos, chopped (stem and seeds removed)
  • 2 tbs lemon juice
  • 1 head butter lettuce
  • 3 ounces chevre goat cheese

Instructions

  1. In small bowl combine the pepper, cornstarch, chili powder, salt, brown sugar and garlic powder. Chop the chicken thighs, removing any large pieces of fat. Toss the chicken in the spice mixture until well coated.
  2. Heat the olive oil over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chicken, sauté until cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl add the strawberries, red onions, cilantro, jalapeno, and lemon juice, toss to combine.
  4. Fill butter lettuce leaves with chicken, strawberry mixture and top with goat cheese.

 

Chicken Strawberry and Goat Cheese Lettuce Wraps