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turnleft wrote:Has anyone figured out something to make with IPA or a hoppy pale ale? I'm afraid of reducing the beer down to pure bitterness. A good eats episode made some cheesey beer bread but thats not fancy enough.
Some ideas would be appreciated.
IPAs are tough for that very reason. However, I have had a lot of success using fruity, floral (really overtly hoppy, as little balancing malt as possible) IPAs in a spicy jalapeno and cheddar cheese dip. The hops really accentuated the spice. (Bourbon is good for that same reason.) Don't forget, a little can go a long way (and you can always add more, if needed). I also used some in a hummus (but I wouldn't say that worked out quite as well).
The other thing it seemed to work OK (not great) for was as a marinade/glaze with some tequila for some grilled fish. I think I mixed it with some herbs (cilantro, I think), peppercorns, salt, lemon juice, garlic and butter (or oil). It was a few summer's ago so I'm sorry I don't remember the specifics, but it wasn't anything all that memorable anyway.
There are a number of recipes in the Craft of Stone Brewing Co. book that contain IPA (and pale ale & Arrogant Bastard, etc.).
For IPA:
Stone IPA Garlicky Mashed Potatoes
Garlic, Cheddar and Stone Ruination IPA Soup
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
I want to try a Coq à la Bière using 4 legs (disjointed?), a 750ml Koningshoeven Quad, and 4 types of onions. Probably hard to screw up. I like a simple recipe, but getting a full flavor (fresh herbs and the right beer should make all the difference.)
Belgian wrote:I want to try a Coq à la Bière using 4 legs (disjointed?), a 750ml Koningshoeven Quad, and 4 types of onions. Probably hard to screw up. I like a simple recipe, but getting a full flavor (fresh herbs and the right beer should make all the difference.)
The chicken ended up fairly mild tasting, though I put lots of fresh herbs in the pot. Maybe I have to include some concentrated chicken stock or roasted vegetable stock to kick it uo a little. But it's good! Simmering with the lid slightly open, the 750ml of beer reduces quite a bit, then you can reduce the sauce further after taking everything out. It's a bit more work than Coq au Vin.
I'm also more careful with salt than I need to be. And could possibly use a good dash of cider vinegar. Any good beer reccomendations for this?
Porter Baltique might work well if you balanced it with veal stock. The taste may be a fair bit richer, but using lots of fresh herbs as you mentioned would help balance it. Even better still would be a dark cherry porter of some kind to give it that tang from the cherries.
I don't always drink beer ... because sometimes my friends win and we have to go to macro-only establishments.
The other night I made a Boeuf Carbonnade Flamande from a classic French recipes cookbook. Not having a Trappist ale handy, I used a Canadian IPA, but the results were quite good. Best served the day following the cooking; the flavours intensify.
The Mick wrote:Even better still would be a dark cherry porter of some kind to give it that tang from the cherries.
Black Oak!
Another option might be Neustadt Big Dog Porter.
zane9, I've made carbonnade flamande many times using different styles of Belgian ale (Flemish Brown, BSDA, dubbel, etc.). The recipe I've typically used is very rich with bacon, brown sugar and onions, and to be honest any subtle flavour from the beer is typically lost. I had carbonnade at a Belgian restaurant in the vieux port area of Montreal last week (Le Petit Moulinsart), and it was more simplistic than the recipe I use, not sure how traditional it was. Nevertheless, with a simple recipe and a very robust Belgian ale, the beer could certainly come to the fore.
cannondale wrote:...
zane9, I've made carbonnade flamande many times using different styles of Belgian ale (Flemish Brown, BSDA, dubbel, etc.). The recipe I've typically used is very rich with bacon, brown sugar and onions, and to be honest any subtle flavour from the beer is typically lost. I had carbonnade at a Belgian restaurant in the vieux port area of Montreal last week (Le Petit Moulinsart), and it was more simplistic than the recipe I use, not sure how traditional it was. Nevertheless, with a simple recipe and a very robust Belgian ale, the beer could certainly come to the fore.
Having made many braised dishes with beer, I strongly agree with you that the subtle flavour of the beer can be lost. I used this simple recipe because it had so few ingredients: beef, onion (I used a sweeter variety than "cooking onions"); fresh thyme; bayleaf; beer. No added stock required. The beer is slowly added to the precipitated liquid (thickened with a little bit of flour) from the braising stage.
Thanks for that link. My recipe has far fewer ingredients.
I will try it again with a more robust Belgian ale!
By the way this was much tastier on the second day when the flavors had all mingled. Beautiful gravy! The beer did come through, mingling gorgeous flavors with the subtle shallots. It would be a great to make this with any dark Christmas beers you find a bit heavy and rich to drink (don't throw 'em away.)
Next time I will add double the Crimini mushrooms and triple the pearl onions. It really extends the chicken & gives the dish varied texture. If you want to get fancy you can brown & braise the pearl onions separately afterwards - even the next day or two before serving. Brown in bacon or other fat, pour on chicken stock, to deglace & reduce the stock a lot, add mushrooms last of all. Assemble the dish, correct the seasoning, Bob's yer Uncle.
cannondale wrote:zane9, I've made carbonnade flamande many times - and to be honest any subtle flavour from the beer is typically lost.
I still get rich port wine-like flavors on Trois Pistoles when I make Carbonnade Flamande with Beef or similar meat.
Whatever beer gets 'lost' in the recipe probably still adds to the flavor I'd guess.
It certainly does. Oddly, Trois Pistoles is one that I've yet to use in a carbonnade flamande. I can definitely see how with a simple recipe some of the distinct flavours of Trois Pistoles would be discernable. I'm going to try it next time..
Also, if you haven't tried mopping up the last of the gravy with a slice of french bread spread lightly with Dijon mustard, do give it a whirl.
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
Belgian and cannondale, you've given me some inspiration in selecting the correct beer for a carbonnade flamade.
Thinking about beef recipes reminded me of a delicious beef dish we've made several times. It's a 3-parter, assembled on grilled pita or other flat bread: chili-rubbed grilled beef; roasted garlic-horseradish cream; onion-beer confit.
The confit can be stored for 30 days in the fridge. The beer choice depends on how much residual flavour you or your guests will appreciate.
This dish can be a first course (with a light main), or a meal unto itself. You can swap out the pita for a sweet-potato mash kicked up with some smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne.
PM me if you want the recipe for any or all parts of this.
inertiaboy wrote:Here's the recipe for a gingerbread stout cake that I make a couple times a year, most recently for the company holiday potluck. I usually use St Ambroise Oatmeal Stout. The result is very similar to the ginger stout cake I used to get at Smokeless Joes - not sure if they still have it.
I normally stay away from baking, but I'm a big fan of gingerbread, so I thought I would give this a try and I'm glad I did as it was a huge success.
I had some friends over on the weekend and everyone loved the cake. This is something that I definitely will be making again.
zane9 wrote:Belgian and cannondale, you've given me some inspiration in selecting the correct beer for a carbonnade flamade.
I've never used the 'traditional' Flemish Sour Brown Ales (eg. the 'Flamande' beer) but it's supposed to be ideal with its combo of sweet / acid flavors. They do call it the Burgundy of Beers.
For a Flemish Ale, maybe Baccus Flemish Old Brown, or Petrus Oud Bruin if you squirred those away. Duchesse de Bourgogne as well as Goudenband.
But it's hard to sacrifice tasty Belgian sour ales in a stew! It's just as traditional to use what's cheap & locally available.
